The One Where Taz Gets Pregnant
by Carahla
Summary: Shortly after their arrival back from Bug World, Taz and Up find themselves in a situation more complicated than either of them could ever have dreamed.
1. Chapter 1

Hello! This story I have been writing for a while and publishing over on my blog, but I thought that some of you guys might like to read it! I'll be updating this pretty much daily so I hope you enjoy it!

(I don't own Starship)

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><p>"Taz."<p>

"Taz."

"TAZ!"

"AY!" She screamed and jumped up, grabbing her gun where she'd dropped it beside the bed the previous night, jamming it into her attackers face.

"Woah! Easy Taz, it's just me!" Up scrambled onto the other side of the bed holding his hands up in surrender. Taz lowered the gun, then rubbed her eyes.

"_Mierda_! Get out of my bed Up!" She grabbed the blanket, then shrieked as his naked body was exposed. She flung the blanket back at him, keeping a good hold on her side and sitting straight up facing the far wall, eyes closed and taking deep breaths. Up sat silently, watching her calming down, knowing that if he spoke/moved/drew breath she would probably shoot on sight. Finally she regained enough composure to open her eyes and turn to him, but Up, knowing Taz's unstable nature, was far from reassured.

"I told you to leave last night."

"I fell asleep after we-"

"Shh!" She looked horrified. "Keep your mouth shut Up! It was a mistake, _entender_? You have to leave." She shoved him and although she was half his size he fell to the floor, taking the blanket with him. She screamed again and tried to snatch it back, but he held on tightly, smiling a little as she gave a snarl of anger and started fishing around on the floor for something to cover herself up with.

"Taz?" Up and Taz froze as a voice called through the door. Taz gestured violently that Up should stay silent or her gun would again be in his face.

"Tazzy are you in there?" February called out again. "Only I'm lost again."

"_Si_, I'm here," Taz rolled her eyes and continued pulling on her trousers and tank top and tying her bandana tightly around her head.

"Can I come in? Bug sent me to find Commander Up because we've nearly arrived at Earth, only I got lost and now I can't find my schience lab. Have you seen him?"

Taz sent a panicked look at Up before calling out. "Sorry _amigo_, I haven't seen him, but if you carry on along the corridor you will find the canteen, Karyonder or Specs will probably be in there."

"Okay, great! Thanks girlfriend! If you see Up tell him my Buggy is looking for him, yeah?"

"_Si_, _si_ I will." She heard February's footsteps disappear off down the corridor (the wrong way she noted dimly) then fell back onto the bed, rolled over and looked down at Up, still sat on the floor, now miraculously half dressed.

"You have to leave," she said quietly, her eyes roaming his still-bare chest as he felt around for his abandoned shirt.

"What if I don't want to?" He knelt and shuffled to the bed, his face inches from hers.

"Then I will have to shoot you," she replied, but didn't move away. They stared at each other for a few seconds before Up closed the distance between them, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her. She hesitated at first, but he persisted and she allowed him to climb back onto the bed, never breaking the kiss, and wrap his arms around her. He began trailing kisses down her neck and collarbone and she lay back allowing him to continue kissing down her right arm. It was only when he started to lift her shirt that she pulled away and he looked up with questioning eyes.

"You need to stop." He sat up and gave her a searching look. She slid out from underneath him and swung her legs off the bed and dropping her head onto her hands. Up stared at her then tried to gather her in his arms, but she pulled away and grabbed his shirt from the floor and threw it at him.

"Get out."

"But Taz-"

"Go."

He looked at her sadly, but she turned away and started collecting the blankets that lay strewn about the room. He sighed then left the room to retrieve February from whichever vent she'd managed to get stuck in this time.


	2. Chapter 2

Hello! I hope you enjoyed part one! I've decided to update this daily as it's all written etc, so enjoy!

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><p>"Alright <em>idiotas<em>, keep your guns charged and your mouths shut. The commander has some words for you."

Up stepped forwards as Taz finished speaking, giving her the briefest of glances (she was looking determinedly over his shoulder) and stepped up to his troops.

"The first thing I want to say is that I am proud of every. Damn. One of you." He nodded at each of them in turn. "And secondly, be careful out there. Watch each other's backs and don't try and be a hero! Now get out there and do some good!" His troops stared at him blankly.

"Um, sir?" Bug asked.

"Yes Bug my boy?"

"I thought we were just going back to Bug World." There was a pause.

"Well, yes. But just- just be careful!"

Bug laughed and grabbed February's hand. "We'll be fine Up! Stop worrying so much!" He punched the button to open the airlock and he, February, Specs, Krayonder, Tootsie and Mega-Girl all piled into the drop pod. Up looked at Taz again and indicated for her to enter the pod before him. She avoided his gaze again, but walked in ahead of him. Up entered and the doors slid closed behind him. February and Bug were sat at the controls, she was poking him as he attempted to guide the ship down, but stopped when he started tickling her and she fell onto the floor laughing. Specs was scanning the planet's surface to see if there had been any change in the 3 months they'd been away (there hadn't, surprisingly), while Krayonder checked the guns in the rack by shooting them at a target on the opposite side of the ship. This caused Mega-Girl and Tootsie to flinch as they sat at the rear of the craft. Taz sat alone on the right hand seats, hugging her gun to her chest and staring at the wall opposite.

"Hey, Taz," Up said softly, sitting beside her. She shuffled away from him, not looking at him. He slid closer and put his hand on her arm. "How're you doing?"

She turned at looked at him, the first time in weeks, and he noticed that her eyes were shining with tears.

"Taz, hey, what's wrong?" He tried to hug her, but she sprung up and headed over to Bug and February to see how far they were away from the landing site. February stood up and allowed Taz to take control and came to sit by the commander.

"We're nearly there," February informed him. He nodded but didn't say anything.

"Why are you so sad?" She asked, tilting her head to one side and looking more confused than usual. "Is it because Taz won't speak to you after you had sex?" She hissed quietly.

Up almost fell off the seat.

"How do you know about that!" He looked over at the controls to see if Taz had noticed, but she was deep in discussion with Bug. February laughed and put an arm around his shoulders.

"Pur-lease, it was like, totally obvious!" She giggled again. "You two disappearing into her room, the banging when I came to find you in the morning-"

"I just fell off the bed," he said quickly before she could formulate any sordid ideas.

"Right, and then when you rescued me from the vent you were all sad, but happy at the same time, which was _really_ confusing for me BTW, and then you kept trying to talk to her, and she was all like "No!" and you've been following her around all the time, which is a BIG no-no FYI and now she just gets mad and weepy when anyone tries to talk to her, even Mega-Girl." February finished with a flourish and slapped his chest.

"What should I do?" He asked sadly.

"Well, I could talk to her and use some of my schiencey skills on her to make her tell me what's wrong. Also, I'm like, the perfect BFF, we can stay up and have sleepovers, and she can teach me how to use a gun and I can teach her all my schiencey things-"

"Err, right," said Up thinking to himself that he should probably keep February away from Taz at all costs. He stood and clapped her on the shoulder, and strode over to the controls, ducking under Krayonder's fire and steering Specs out of the way.

"Just docking sir," Bug announced as he approached him and Taz.

"Excellent," he said, resting a hand on each of his lieutenant's shoulders. Taz shrugged his hand off as the ship landed with a bump and she all but ran to the hatch at the back. Up watched her with a crestfallen face as Bug put a hand on his arm.

"She'll come round," he whispered, giving his arm a squeeze with his claw and joining February at the rear of the ship.


	3. Chapter 3

They were to be given an audience with the Overqueen who wished to thank them for their parts in preventing the destruction of the hive, and for allowing Bug to join them on the Starship.

They lined up, facing the Overqueen as the new Caller Bug announced their names to her, and they each saluted. Up looked sideways down the row of his troops feeling a swell of pride in his chest as they were each bestowed the highest honour the Overqueen presented – sashes made from her own filth. He found himself staring at Taz again, wishing she'd look at him just once, when she staggered and fell to the floor in a faint.

"Taz!" He yelled, rushing over to her as his troops and the bugs crowded round. He pulled her into his arms and cradled her to his chest.

"Move, inferior beings." Mega-girl muscled herself through the crowd and bent down to scan Taz. The bugs flinched as her high-pitched scanner moved up and down Taz's body, then she straightened and announced:

"Scan complete. Patient has fainted due to dehydration and low blood pressure caused by pregnancy."

The bugs and Starship Ranger's gasped. Up looked up at Mega-girl, a horrified expression on his face.

"P-pregnant? Like, a baby?"

"Affirmative."

He looked down at Taz, then back at Mega-girl.

"Can you check again?" He asked quietly. Mega-girl rolled her eyes, but proceeded to repeat the scan, the crowd wincing again.

"Scan complete. Pregnancy test result: positive."

A bug arrived with some water and handed it to Krayonder, who threw it in Taz's face. She sat up spluttering and gasping. Tootsie slapped the back of Krayonder's head as Up grabbed Taz's flailing arms and legs to calm her down.

"It's okay, okay Taz, calm down," he said soothingly holding her to his chest. "You fainted that's all."

"Ngh, get off me _idiota_!" She struggled a bit more before collapsing, exhausted, back onto him. More water appeared, this time presented to Taz and she drank it down quickly.

"Can we have some space please?" Bug was calling and the hive dissipated, leaving the rangers, Roach and the Overqueen in the clearing. They were all staring at Taz as she sat in the dirt.

"What you all looking at?" She demanded moodily, standing and brushing herself off before stumbling slightly as Tootsie caught her. She attempted to shake him off, but Up grabbed her and held on so she couldn't escape.

"Can you give us a minute?" He asked the others who nodded and went to talk to the Overqueen.

"I'm fine, Up," she grumbled. "It's _cálido_ out here."

"Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?"

Taz stopped trying to throw his arm off momentarily, but regained her composure quickly.

"I don't know what you are talking about Up," she sniffed, ducking out from under his hold. "_Usted está loco_."

"Don't give me that bullshit Taz, Mega-girl scanned you when you were down." She made to walk away, but he took her hand and turned her to face him. "Is this why you've been avoiding me?"

She looked at him properly for the first time since they had spent the night together and it almost broke his heart.

"Hey, Tazzy, don't worry! A baby isn't a bad thing, you won't be alone and I can help you with stuff-"

"You don't understand!" She screamed in frustration and ran from the clearing, Up looking on helplessly from where he stood. His rangers and Roach approached him, Krayonder put his arm around Up's shoulders.

"Chicks, man, they're all, like, crazy!"

Specs hit him with her scanner.

"I will go and talk to her," announced Mega-girl, walking out of the clearing in the direction Taz had run.

"And I'll come too!" February twirled and made to follow suit, but Bug grabbed her hand and laughed nervously.

"How about we let Mega-girl handle it? Besides, I haven't shown you uh-" He looked around wildly. "The place where I gestated as a larva!"

"Okay then," she replied, flipping her hair. "Let's go and see where my little Buggy grew up!" And they left the clearing in the opposite direction.


	4. Chapter 4

Apologies for not updating yesterday, I had to get up obscenely early then fell asleep as soon as I got home. Thank you for reading!

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><p>"Where are you puny human?" Mega-girl called. "Come out and face me like a woman!"<p>

"Piss off you piece of metal junk."

"Make me."

Taz was sat on a fallen tree, picking bits of bark off and throwing them into the forest. Mega-girl approached and sat next to her. Taz continued to pick at the tree.

"I am finding it hard to apply logic to your situation. Babies are meant to be good, yes?"

Taz sniffed before responding.

"_Si_. Babies are supposed to be good."

"Then why are you unhappy?"

Taz stopped picking at the tree and stood before beginning to pace forwards and backwards making wild gestures with her arms.

"You have no idea how hard I have had to work to get here!" She suddenly started raging, waving her arms around wildly. Mega-girl raised an artificial eyebrow but didn't say anything.

"You think it's easy being a girl in the Rangers? Because it's not! I had to put up with so much CRAP to get to this rank from all the _idiota_ boys and now it's all over! Gone! No more!"

She stopped pacing and took some deep breaths. Mega-girl stood and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Your situation is not that bad. You are still a good soldier and a good friend."

"I just- I wanted to be a Commander _so much_," she whispered. "I've been waiting and waiting to be put forward for a post and they're appointing a new Commander to section C after Rydel got eaten by those giant _felinos_ last month and I would have gotten the job! Now they'll probably give it to Bug, or Tootsie or that dumb-ass Krayonder. I worked so damn hard and now I'll be lucky if they let me keep my job let alone promote me!"

She was about to burst into tears, something even Up had never seen her do, when their communication devices sprang into life and a hologram of the head of the G.L.E.E., Colonel Galaxy-Foot (Space-Claw had unsurprisingly been fired after the whole egg-chest-implant plan had been uncovered), appeared on the screen.

"_I need you all back on the Starship now, we've got a code red in area 39."_

"39?" Taz gasped. "You mean-?"

"_The penguins have finally moved into position and are threatening to strike Earth,"_ The colonel continued. _"I need a full, defensive attack launched immediately, MOVE MOVE MOVE!"_

Taz and Mega-girl immediately turned and sprinted back to the clearing, crashing through the undergrowth and causing mammals and mammal wranglers alike to flee for cover.

They arrived back in the clearing to find Up barking orders at Krayonder, Tootsie and Specs, and Roach flitting around nervously, shouting for Bug.

"Come on, come on! We need to move!" roared Up.

"Where's Bug and February?" Taz shouted in return, skidding to a halt.

"Here! We're here!" Bug and February catapulted into sight, gasping for air. "We-just-heard-"

"No time, no time!" Up was gesturing the soldiers back to the drop pod and the rangers sprinted back towards the drop pod, shouting farewells to Roach and the Overqueen and receiving "Be careful!" and "Good luck!" in return.


	5. Chapter 5

"Specs!"

"Yes, Commander?"

"I want to know exactly what weapons they're using and the layout of the land, you hear me?"

"Yes, Commander, right away!"

"Bug! Tootsie!"

"Yessir!"

"I want that drop pod ready to go in five minutes!"

"Five minutes, you got it!"

"Krayonder, those zappers had better be in full working condition or so help me dead-God-!"

"I'm on it sir!"

"What can _I_ do Commander Up?" February danced over, beaming widely.

"You can uh-" Up looked around to find a menial task to keep February occupied while the descent was prepared. "You can, um… make yourself look as damned pretty as you can!"

"Oh sir! I won't let you down!" She proceeded to pull a mirror from out of her uniform pockets, along with some lipstick and a hairbrush and sat preening herself, smiling stupidly into the mirror.

"Taz!" Up barked, causing her to jerk up from where she was examining her own weapon. "I want two of the long range zappers from the armoury; I'm not taking any chances with these bastards."

"But-"

"Now soldier!"

She scowled, angry at being interrupted in the middle of her own meticulous gun check, but left for the storeroom to grab the zappers as directed.

She hurtled down the corridors, rangers flattening themselves against the walls and cursing as she flew by. The armoury was only five corridors down from her drop pod, but the line of rangers waiting to check out zappers snaked down the final two. Taz cursed, the pod was leaving in five minutes and Up wasn't one to wait for latecomers.

"Alright _idiotas_, outta my way, Commander Up wants his guns!"

On hearing the word "Up" the junior rangers all jumped aside, letting her pass straight to the front of the queue.

"I need two long-range zappers and I need them now, _entender_?" She barked at the unfortunate Starship Ranger who happened to be manning the armoury at that time.

"Y-yes Lieutenant Taz, sir, right away!" And he scuttled off to the shelves behind where hundreds of guns in various makes and models were stored.

"You really ought to be nicer to the little rangers, Tazia," a voice said behind her, causing her to jump and turn quickly, almost losing her balance.

"What did you just call me?" She said in a dangerous voice, her gun aimed at the person to whom the voice belonged. He was a good looking man of about 30, towering over her, much like Commander Up, but he lacked Up's muscular build. He had a smile on his face which could almost be mistaken for a sneer as he eyed Taz with keen interest, but this only caused her scowl to become more pronounced.

"Do we have a problem with the name Tazia now hmm?" He said, the smirk on his face becoming obvious now and he folded his arms.

"My name is Taz, Howard" she spat, but lowered her gun.

"Little Tazzy, Commander Up's favourite pet!" The man named Howard exclaimed. "Or perhaps not, he's got you doing the fetching and carrying today?"

"I volunteered," she lied, turning back to the desk itching for the attendant to come back so she could escape.

"Of course you did sweetheart, just like I volunteered for armoury supervision."

"So that's why you're here."

"Yep, lousy job but someone's got to do it. Earns me brownie points for the Commander position though," he added. Taz span around to face him.

"_You're_ going for the Commander position?" She demanded. "What makes you think they're gonna pick you?"

He gave her a very indulgent smile and stepped closer so he was looking down on her. She also stepped closer, squaring up to him, and tiny as she was it made the smile fade from his face.

"I've been a Lieutenant for five years _Taz_, I think I've earned the right to be promoted."

"You've earned the right to being a dick."

"Temper temper, I see I've got you worried, scared I'll beat you?" He laughed easily and punched her playfully on the arm. She reached automatically for the gun at her side and he threw his hands up in surrender.

"Woah, okay! I can see you're not in a good mood today!" He laughed again. "I tell you what, after we deal with these bastards do you maybe fancy having a drink with me later? If Commander Up doesn't mind me borrowing you for the evening?"

He shot her a winning smile as though he could control her answer with his teeth.

"I would rather go for a drink with a robot," she said darkly.

"Well you like that Mega-girl unit so I'll take that as a yes!"

Luckily for Howard the assistant arrived back with the guns, preventing Taz from taking his feet from underneath him and walking on his face. Instead she threw him a filthy look, snatched the guns and ran from the room, Howard's laughs echoing in her ears.


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry for the delay, I've been moving house and getting sorted to go back to university this weekend, so it's been a bit hectic! As always, thank you so much for reading.

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><p>She reached the control area for the drop pod in record time, but found that it had already gone. Cursing she pulled out her communications device and started shouting at Up through it.<p>

"_Okay, okay Taz! Calm down now!"_ Up was yelling back. _"I said we were leaving in five minutes and you weren't back, you know the rules!"_

"Yes, _Commander_," she said sarcastically. "But it's your fault for sending me out when you were leaving in five! You don't even have your guns now _idiota_!"

"_We'll be fine Taz, don't worry. You should probably go for a lie down or a nice bubble bath, I'm sure all that running around isn't good for the baby."_

Suddenly something clicked.

"You wanted me to get left behind, didn't you?" she said in a dangerously low voice.

"_What? Don't be so silly Taz, I needed-gulp-those guns…"_ Up trailed off, feeling the blast of Taz's glare as clearly as if he was standing next to her. _"Okay fine, I just wanted you both safe! Don't hate me for it Taz!"_

"Shut up! You don't own me or this baby! I'm still a ranger and I am gonna get this dead-God damn job done!"

Taz terminated the call to the sound of Up's protests and chucked the zappers on the floor, before sinking down beside them. She'd never been deliberately left behind for any mission, and this was the first time since she graduated that Up was fighting without her. She slammed her fists on the floor. This was all his fault! He was the one who'd gotten her pregnant, he was the one who had _abandoned _her to go and fight in the biggest battle since the robot wars!

"They left without you then?"

Taz looked up, and sure enough, Howard was stood at the entrance, looking as though he'd not only been made Commander, but president of the whole Galactic League.

"Piss off, Howard," she spat back bitterly. She didn't need his gloating on top of everything else.

"I was just going to offer you the last place in my drop pod, but if you're going to be like that…"

She looked up at him and he offered a hand to help her up off the floor.

"You serious _hombre_?" Taz asked in disbelief. "What's the catch?" Her eyes narrowed.

"I have two requests," he smiled charmingly, she sighed.

"_Si_?"

"Number one; I want you to have that drink with me."

"_...Si_."

"And _número dos_; I want to know why Up left you behind in the first place, none of this "I was late so he went without me" crap, because Up doesn't go anywhere without you unless there's a good reason."

Taz paused momentarily, then nodded.

"I will have _uno_ drink with you, _endender?_ And I will tell you why he left me over that drink, deal?"

"No deal. I want to know now," he said, just as his own communication device started beeping. "Or indeed as we run to catch my pod, come on."

He grabbed her hand and they hurtled off to section F. The corridors were empty now, the rangers all having descended to the planet below. They arrived, panting at section F and were quickly hurried into the airlock. Once seated and strapped in, Howard began to question her once more.

"So come on, tell me why he abandoned you," he nudged her. "I thought he cried when you weren't around."

"_Uno_; if you insult him again, I will shoot you. _Dos_; I said I would tell you later."

"Uh-uh, no way, I said I'd take you down if you told me why he wouldn't take you. I'm putting my neck on the line Taz, as soft as Up is I still don't wanna be on the receiving end of his temper."

"I hope he shoots you." She fiddled with her gun, Howard put a hand on hers to stop her.

"Have you fallen out?" he asked softly.

"No," she replied defiantly, but her voice wobbled and she pulled away, continuing to turn the zapper over in her hands.

"_Landing in 1 minute! Everybody prepare for disembarking!"_

"Taz, I mean it, you are not leaving this vessel until I know why you were left behind."

"I-" She paused, looking around for a distraction.

"Tazia!"

"Don't call me that!"

"_30 seconds!"_

"Then tell me why!"

"I can't!"

"Taz-!"

"_10 seconds!"_

"_Bien!_ I'm- I'm pregnant," Taz said, her voice cracking as she wrestled with the straps holding her to the chair which were tangled on her gun. Howard gaped at her.

"Y-you're what?"

"Don't make me say it again."

"_Okay rangers, this is it GO GO GO!"_

Taz leapt from her seat as the strap finally came free and Howard followed, still looking shocked.

"You can't be," he hissed as they fell in line. "Is it his?"

"Do you think I want to be?" she hissed back over her shoulder. "And if by "his" you mean Commander Up's, then _si_."

"I knew it! I knew there was something going on! That's why you wouldn't go out with me all that time I suppose," he mused.

"_No_, I wouldn't go out with you because I don't like you," she shot back.

They had reached the base and Taz broke away from the ranks to find out where Up and the others had been stationed. Howard hesitated, then followed.

"Should you been down here if y'know-" he gestured at her stomach and she stopped abruptly, her hand fastened around his throat.

"Now you listen to me," she said threateningly. "If _anyone_ and I mean _ANYONE_ finds out about this, I will remove your legs and I will beat you with the bloody end until you are dead, _entender_?"

"Yes," he said weakly, looking green.

"Good. Now I am going to find my section. I will see you in the bar, 8pm sharp. I don't hang around."

"Wait, you still want to go?"

She looked at him, an amused smile on her face.

"I promised I would, I don't break my promises," she saluted him and ran off, leaving him staring after her.


	7. Chapter 7

I can only offer my most sincere apologies for the delay. I started back at university this week and I have barely stopped all week. I'll upload another chapter shortly as this is very short. I hope you enjoy it.

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><p>CRASH!<p>

"BUG!"

"I'm fine! Fine!"

"Dammit February, cover that side!"

"Sorry Sir!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!"

"Nice shot Mega-girl!"

"That's my wo-man!"

Bug sprinted over to Commander Up, ducking as a shower of rocks came down from overhead. They were stationed under cliffs spread as far as the eye could see, 100 feet high, with deep caves cut into them every so often where an ancient sea had worn away the rock. The cliffs were old and crumbling, and as the crashes of the battle waged below them, rocks came falling down causing the penguins and Rangers alike to dive out of their path.

"We can't hold them off much longer!"

"Just keep fighting !" Up was yelling, taking down two with one shot.

"Up! We need to retreat!"

"NO!"

Up charged forwards, knocking four of the penguins off Tootsie who struggled back up.

"Thank you Commander!"

He winked.

"No problem!"

He turned and blasted another penguin that had attempted to take Krayonder's head off.

"Sir!"

"Yes, Specs," he grunted, sending a wave of bullets outwards, alongside Tootsie and Mega-girl.

"If my calculations are correct, sending a constant stream of bullets at that boulder could cause the far part of the cliff to come down, effectively stopping them sending in any more troops!" She indicated a particularly unstable looking rock near the top of the cliff, about 100 feet away from them.

Krayonder blasted another penguin in the face, but it stumbled on. Tootsie ran and blasted it again, effectively causing its head to explode. Up scraped the blood and gore off his face, and ducked as enemy fire flew over his head.

"Are you sure about this, Specs!"

"Absolutely, Sir!"

He hesitated for a moment, before nodding and sending another wave of zappers into the line of advancing penguins.

"Okay, you heard her, on three I want Tootsie, Krayonder and February to continue firing at these monsters down here, and Mega-girl, Bug and myself to blast that boulder to pieces, okay?"

"Yessir!"

"Yes, Commander Up!"

"Affirmative, Commander!"

"Gotcha!"

"Alright, sir!"

"READY! 3…2…1…FIRE!"

February, Krayonder and Tootsie opened fire on the advancing penguins as Up, Bug and Mega-girl started firing upwards, almost immediately cracking the rock above.

"YOU'RE DOING GOOD GUYS! KEEP THIS UP!"

Suddenly a horrible cracking noise filled the air. The boulder had broken, but the cliff had split all the way along. Rangers and Penguins alike stopped, staring at the cliff above as it started to rumble ominously. February came to her senses first.

"!" She screamed, grabbing Bug's claw and fleeing. Specs, Krayonder, Tootsie and Mega-girl followed suit, but something had caught Up's eye to make his blood run cold.

Taz had come pelting round the corner, shooting over her shoulder as she was pursued by three of the penguins. She was about to pass under the rapidly crumbling cliff face. Up ignored the shouts from Bug and Krayonder and February's scream and ran to Taz, firing his weapon at her pursuers. Two of them went down as Up reached her. He wasted no time in grabbing her and pulling her into a small cave as the rock finally came crashing down around them.


	8. Chapter 8

"Up."

"Up."

"UP!"

He was vaguely aware of someone nudging him. His head hurt and he was lying on something really uncomfortable.

"Up! You are lying on my legs!"

He groaned and sat up. He heard a hiss of relief and someone moving around close to him. He opened his eyes. Then closed them again. There was no difference.

"Taz?"

"Yes."

"It's dark in here."

"I know."

"I'm scared."

She snorted. He heard her moving around and suddenly a glare of light as Taz shone a torch in his eyes.

"Ow! Taz that really hurt!"

"Oh boo hoo! Man up, Up!"

She shone the torch around to reveal they were entombed in a cave formed by the rockslide. The grisly remains of the final penguin that had been pursuing Taz were sticking out from underneath a large boulder. She walked the perimeter of the cave, shining the torch everywhere. The cave went back for about 6 feet, and was about 7 feet high. Taz pulled at some of the rocks that covered the entrance but gave up when she realised it wasn't going to budge.

"We're stuck," she announced finally. Up sat himself up leaning against the solid cliff face.

"Stuck?"

"There is no way we can move this rock," she picked up the torch that she had abandoned on the floor and turned to him. "We need rescuing, Up."

He heaved himself off the ground slowly, checking everything was in working order. A few cuts and a sore head, nothing he hadn't dealt with before.

"Are you hurt Taz?" He stepped towards her and put a hand on her face, tilting it this way and that to check for marks. She slapped his hand away.

"I'm fine Up," she protested. "You- you saved me. Again."

"Every time," he smiled at her and she gave a weak one in return.

"Is your communicator working? Mine broke when we fell."

He groped in his belt and found the small device. He jabbed a few buttons and it sprang into life.

"_Excelente_! Call the others, they can get us out!"

He pressed Bug's number into the device and Bug's face quickly popped up, along with that of February and, to Taz's displeasure, Howard.

"Up! Taz! Are you okay?" Bug sounded frantic.

"We're fine, few cuts and bruises, nothing we haven't seen before."

"Listen, _amigos_, we're trapped in here, is there any way you can get us out?" Taz grabbed the device from Up and started shouting into it.

"We've got people coming down to get you out, don't panic," Bug was saying reassuringly. "We were so worried about you guys, we thought you were gonners!"

"Just get us out of here," Taz said gruffly.

"You know, if you didn't want to get a drink with me, you could just say," Howard smirked, but the relief was evident on his face.

"What-?" Began Up, but Taz interrupted.

"Shut your fat mouth Howard and start digging!" She turned the device off and thrust it back at Up before sinking onto the floor and staring at her feet. Up remained standing, an unpleasant feeling settling in his stomach.

"So, uh," he started, breaking the silence. "You're seeing Howard?"

"No, I agreed to go for a drink with him so he'd bring me down here so I could find you!" She got gradually more angry as she went on, staring him in the face. "I can't believe you left me behind up there! Did you really think I was going to miss this?"

"I thought that you'd do as I said! I _thought_ you might have more sense!" Up was shouting now. "You're a good soldier Taz but you're not invincible! You need to keep yourself safe, for our baby's sake!"

"Would you just shut up about the baby!"

"No! Not when you're behaving like it doesn't matter!"

"Well, maybe, it doesn't matter!"

She was on her feet now, shouting at Up as he fought back.

"What are you saying?" He dropped his voice and his shoulders sagged. "Do you- do you not want a baby?"

She didn't reply immediately and took a step back.

"I don't know," she sighed and resumed her place on the floor. "Maybe, maybe _no_. I don't want a baby, Up!"

He sank to the floor and put his head in his hands.

"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry," he began to weep like a child. Normally this would have enraged Taz more, but she found herself mellowing slightly. _Stupid baby_, she thought to herself.

"It's not your fault, Up," she shuffled closer to him and put her arms around his shoulders. "It's just when you asked me if I wanted to try out your new balls I thought you just meant sex, not a baby!"

"I did! I just-" he looked at her and gulped. "I really, _really_ like you Taz and I just…"

He trailed off, hands flopping uselessly to his side.

"I didn't even know I could have kids, even with the new balls! The doctor said I'd be lucky if I could have sex and now you're pregnant and people are going to find out and-"

"_Sí_, Up, shut up!" Taz cut him off. "I need you to be a man about this! You can't be crying like a kitten when the baby needs changing or feeding or whatever it is babies need!"

He laughed in spite of the situation.

"You have no idea how to deal with children, do you?"

"Course not! I hate _niños_! I didn't ever imagine having them, they make noise and eat and I need my sleep, Up!" She looked terrified, he had never seen her scared, not even when she was strung up by robots, about to die.

"It's okay Taz, we can be terrified together," he pulled her close to him and kissed the top of her head. To his delight she didn't pull away, but rested her head on his shoulder.

"The G.L.E.E. are going to be _furioso_," she said, hugging her knees to her chest. "They're not big on Tootsie and Mega-girl and Bug and February, we're their best soldiers, Up, what if they fire us?"

"They won't fire us." He paused. "Or maybe we won't tell them."

"Of course, that will work for sure," she replied, voice dripping with sarcasm. "We'll just tell them I gained a few pounds and that I found the baby in _un arbusto_!"

"I understand that you're upset Taz, but you don't need to keep shouting at me!"

"Maybe, I do! Maybe I just need to SHOUT because now you get to carry on being Commander, and I am NEVER going to get that chance now!"

All the anger and injustice she felt at her situation and Up and the G.L.E.E. was pouring out of her. Up just sat there in shock.

"All I ever wanted was to join the G.L.E.E. and become a Starship Ranger! When I was _una pequeñoniña_ I used to sit and just dream about the day I could fight in the robot wars like my father! Then the robots come and they RIP my family to pieces in front of me and you carry me off to the Starship where I have to wait THREE YEARS before I'm even allowed to train! I get picked on by EVERY COMMANDER and EVERY RANGER for being a girl, but I still manage to graduate top! I fight HUNDREDS of battles in the robot wars, and come out alive but "NO"! No Commander job for you Taz, you still too young!" She sucked in a deep breath and Up tried to speak, but she ploughed on, regardless of what he had to say. "So I go on the rescue mission on Bug World, I fight alongside you, I prove that I am just as tough as you, still no Commander job! And now I have no chance because YOU got me PREGNANT!"

She jabbed his chest with a pointy finger and he winced, but didn't try to interrupt this time.

"And now that pretty-boy Howard is going to get the job, because he is a _man_ and he isn't knocked up!"

She began to weep bitterly and Up stared at her. He'd never seen her cry, never in the ten years of knowing her and it unnerved him.

"So, uh, you, uh, think Howard's pretty do ya?" Up asked awkwardly. Taz gave a screech of anger and marched off to the other side of their cave and curled up in a ball on the floor, weeping. Up sat silently for a minute before he spoke again.

"Taz? Taz, I'm _really_ sorry."

She didn't reply.


	9. Chapter 9

For the second time that day Up woke confused and in complete darkness. His head felt as though someone had thrown a rock at it, which, he realised, is exactly what had happened. _Not your best idea, sleeping with a head injury_, he thought to himself, standing and stretching. It was then that he realised a faint beeping was coming from a few feet to his right, and groping around on the floor he found the communication device Taz had thrust back at him earlier.

_BEEP._

"This is Commander Up of the Galactic League of Extraterrestrial Exploration, how may I be of service?"

"_Up? UP! It's okay guys, he's answered!"_ Bug appeared on the screen. _"What's been going on? We've called a gazillion times!"_

"Sorry Bug, I think we must've dozed off."

"_Well you need to be fully awake for this next bit, we've managed to dig out most of the rock but the evacuation team thinks if they move any more it's just going to collapse. Now, listen; you need to get as far into that cave as possible, there's a good chance you'll be fine under there when all the rock comes down."_

"And if it doesn't work…?"

"_You've been the best Commander I'll ever have!"_

Up grimaced.

"Fine, I need to find Taz first."

"_How did you lose her?" _Bug asked, amused.

"You have no idea how dark it is in here, boy," He set the device on the ground and moved over to the general area Taz had laid down.

"Taz? Taz where are you?"

A tiny murmur next to his right foot made him jump, another step and he'd have trodden in her face.

"Taz, you need to wake up, we gotta move," he leant down and felt around for her arm.

"Ow! Up what are you doing? That was my eye!"

"Sorry! Come on, they've nearly got us out, we need to move."

He heard her moving around on the floor, then he yelped as she shone the torch in his eyes once more.

"Ow! Taz, stop doing that!"

"Sorry Commander." She didn't sound very apologetic.

"Just give me the flashlight!" He snatched it from her and began shining it at the roof, trying to work out where the cliff was and where the pile of soon-to-be collapsing rock was. He picked the communication device up off the floor and grabbed her hand, pulling her over to one side of the cave.

"Okay, we're as far back as we can get," he said into to the comm once they were in place.

"_You're sure?"_

"Yes."

"_Okay, any last words?"_

Up terminated the call. He found Taz's hand next to him as some of the smaller rocks began to fall, and squeezed it reassuringly.

"I love you, Taz."

The roof caved in.

"I got you, don't worry."

"Dude, you gotta let go of her hand."

He felt someone prising his hand open and Taz cursing. His headache was a million times worse, there was something very heavy covering his lower body, he felt sick and there was an incredible amount of pain radiating from his right ankle.

"Dammit Tootsie you _idiota_, put me down before I put you down!"

"Sorry Lieutenant, they told me to come get you so's you can get some medicine."

She started cursing in Spanish again and Up tried to open his eyes, Bug and Krayonder swam into view, but it made him feel even more nauseous.

"Wow, Bug look! He's like, green!"

"Shut up Krayonder and help me move these rocks."

The pressure he had been feeling on his legs began to abate, but he couldn't help yelling out in pain as someone removed a large rock from his right foot.

"Wooooaaahhhh!"

"I'm not humanologist, but I'm pretty sure it shouldn't look like that."

Someone poked his ankle and he screamed like a girl.

"Krayonder?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't do that."

A pattering of feet indicated the arrival of another ranger.

"I'm sure you morons are doing a great job digging, but they want you out of here ASAP, they think the whole cliff is heading for a collapse."

"Well he's not going anywhere by himself. He can barely open his eyes and I'm pretty sure that his ankle is broken."

Howard snorted.

"Krayonder, grab an arm, we'll carry him out."

"What about his ankle?"

"Listen, insect, that cliff is about to collapse on our heads and I am not willing to die because Commander Up got a boo-boo on his ankle. Now help me move him, or go and get someone else."

Up found himself being dragged upright, desperately trying not to cry as his foot dragged across the rock.

"TOOTSIE! COME GIVE US A HAND!"

Presently he found himself with a ranger on each limb being half carried, half dragged away from the cliff.

"Man, he weighs a ton!"

"Shut up, Krayonder."

After a minute he found himself unceremoniously dumped onto the ground and the groans of his fellow rangers as they relieved their burden.

"Commander? Can you open your eyes for me?"

He forced himself to open his eyes, and was promptly sick everywhere.

"Concussion; can you pass me the medi-pac?"

He was pulled upright into a sitting position and a foul liquid was poured down his throat. He spluttered but the pain in his head vanished almost immediately and he found he could now open his eyes without emptying his stomach, which had begun to growl. The medic that had provided the potion smiled.

"You should get some food after I fix up that ankle. You've been in there a while," She pulled out a lethal looking needle from the bag she was carrying and held it over his ankle. "This will hurt a tiny bit."

She jabbed it down and he screamed like a girl.

"All done! Can you try and walk on it for me please?"

He stood up gingerly and took a few steps. His foot felt fine.

"Excellent! That's me done, you should be careful on that for a few days and go and get something to eat."

He thanked her and turned back to survey the scene behind him. The cliff had almost disappeared, a pile of rubble as high as the Starship was all that was left. The cave that he had dragged Taz in to was the only part that had survived, _good choice_, he noted, but even as he watched chunks of rock and debris that formed the mouth of the cave were crumbling onto the pile below. His attention was drawn to his rangers; Taz looked as if she was having an argument with another medic, Howard seemed to be attempting to explain something to him as Krayonder kept an arm around Taz's waist in an attempt to restrain her, but neither was doing a very good job. Up, sensing danger, hurried over to the group; the medic looked relieved to see a figure of authority and turned to him, but Taz butted in before he could speak.

"They want to scan me, tell them I don't need no medical treatment, Commander!" She glared at him furiously.

"What's your name son?" Up asked the medic. Taz hissed furiously, but the medic replied in a stuttering voice: "P-price, sir. Could you ask her to stay still for 10 seconds? I just need to-"

"NO!" Taz wriggled free of Krayonder's grip and jabbed a finger in Price's unfortunate face. "You listen to me nursey! I am fine, _bien_, _entender?_ I don't need no scan, and if you try and use that thing I me, I will stick it right up your-!"

"Problem, Lieutenant?"

The group turned as one to face non-other than –

"Colonel Galaxy-Foot! What an honour, sir!" Up saluted and his recruits followed suit. Galaxy-Foot returned the gesture. "At ease soldiers!" They relaxed.

"What brings you down here, sir?"

"I heard two of my best rangers were trapped in a rockslide, presumed dead, I thought I should probably come and see what could be done. I see you're both fine though! Excellent!" He clapped Up on the back and winked at Taz who nodded back. "Now, Lieutenant Taz, is there a problem here?"

"No-"

"Yes, Colonel Galaxy-Foot, sir," Price interrupted, clearly he was not going to let this slide. "Lieutenant Taz has been trapped in a cave for 9 hours and has been sick and I need to treat her, but she won't let me scan her!" Taz rounded on him again.

"I told you, if you bring that scanner anywhere near me, I will use it to-"

"I don't think-"

"Maybe-"

"Now come on you lot, he's just trying to do his job. How would you like it if he tried to stop you shooting someone in the head?" He pulled her forward and indicated for Price to do his business with the scanner. Krayonder, Bug, Howard, Mega-girl and Specs started murmuring amongst themselves, casting worried looks at the scanner and Price. February and Tootsie looked blissfully unaware of what was going on. Taz started mouthing something desperately at Up, but he couldn't make out what she was saying. It was only when she started making pointing gestures to her stomach while the Colonel was talking to Tootsie that he understood, but by that time Price had started moving the small device over Taz, who was being firmly held in place by Galaxy-Foot.

_PING!_

"All clear," Price announced brightly, studying the display. Taz visibly deflated in relief and Up's stomach seemed to fly back up from the floor where it had spent the last ten seconds.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Galaxy-Foot said brightly, releasing Taz. "Nothing to be worried about-"

"Hang on." Price was frowning at the display. His face quickly changed from confusion to realisation, then panic. "This says you're-"

Taz tackled him, wrestling the evil machine off him and throwing it as far as she could, before turning to smash Price's face with her fist. Up and Howard grabbed her wrists and hauled her upright while Price scrambled backwards whimpering.

"Lieutenant! What is the meaning of this!" Galaxy-Foot demanded. Taz threw Up and Howard off and turned to face Galaxy-Foot.

"I told him not to use the scanner!"

"And I gave him orders to do his job! Are you arguing with my orders Lieutenant?"

"_No_," Taz replied sulkily, throwing Price a filthy look which normally meant she'd get her revenge at a later date. He looked horrified at her and his eyes flickered to her stomach; she shook her head in a threatening manner, but Galaxy-Foot had noticed there was something amiss.

"Would someone kindly like to fill me in on the Lieutenant's insanity? This is ludicrous, even for her!" The rangers shuffled their feet nervously, no one said a word apart from Tootsie, who looked as though he might be about to speak, but Specs trod on his foot and he closed his mouth.

"Fine. Mega-girl, I _order_ you to tell me what is going on!"

The others could only look on in horror as Mega-girl spoke.

"Lieutenant Taz of the Starship Rangers is currently expecting a child, sir." A groan swept the group, Up put his face in his hands and Taz looked as though she might be re-evaluating her friendship with the robot.

"Were- were you aware of this Up?" Galaxy-Foot spluttered and Up shrunk under his gaze.

"Well, yes, sir, you see-"

"Then why did you allow her to come down onto the planet! This is beyond irresponsible!"

"I told her to stay on the Starship, sir!" Up argued back, sending an angry look at Taz. "She disobeyed my orders!"

"I told you I can handle it!"

"We nearly died, Taz!"

"I was doing my job! We get the job done, Up! Or is that something you've forgotten?"

"ENOUGH!" Galaxy-Foot roared. Taz and Up were inches from each other, shouting in each other's faces. "This is no way for you to talk to your superior officer, Lieutenant! Back in line!"

Taz stepped back, her face flushed and furious. The other rangers were silent, all except Howard who's smirk had returned, and who patted her arm as she stood by him. She flinched away and folded her arms defiantly.

"You both know the policy on relationships within units. We've made exceptions in the past-" He nodded at Tootsie, Mega-girl, Bug and February, "-But you are a senior officer, Up! And she is your Lieutenant! This is not acceptable behaviour!"

There was absolute silence as the rangers waited to find out what Galaxy-Foot would do next, then:

"It's not his," Howard had spoken, stepping forwards. "It's mine."

"What?"

"What?"

"What?"

"Qué?" Taz rounded on him.

"Yours?" Galaxy-Foot looked confused. "But I assumed-"

"Can we speak? _En privado_?" Taz interrupted, a strange look on her face that Up couldn't decipher. Galaxy-Foot hesitated, glanced at Up, then nodded. Taz grabbed Howard's elbow and dragged him away from the group, leaving Up and the rest of the rangers confused.

"I know what you're doing, and it's not going to work," Taz pulled him round to face her, speaking in a low voice.

"Why not? I'm trying to save both of your jobs," he looked at her intently and smiled.

"With you, there is always an ulterior motive." Howard didn't say anything for a second, then cupped her face in his hands. She began to move but he whispered "don't, just hear me out," and she, curiously, stayed.

He took a deep breath and began speaking very quickly. "I really like you, Taz, I have for a while, even though you can be a massive bitch sometimes and I'm pretty sure you spend a lot of your time imagining ways of torturing me, I still can't help but smile when I see you and dead-God knows it pisses me off because you really aren't my type and I can't _stand_ your relationship with Up, but there is no way I'm letting you leave the Rangers if there's any way I can stop it. And I know what you'll do because the Rangers is all you have left and if there's any way you can stay with Up you'll take it, even if it means pretending you're with someone else. And I am such an _idiot_ that I'll accept that as a reasonable way of having a relationship with you. You know there's going to be talk about this baby, especially if you tell everyone it's his, you'll be fired, he'll be demoted and you will be stuck on Earth raising a kid by yourself. I am giving you the chance to keep your job and stay with him."

She seemed stunned, her face still in his hands and she blinked a few times. No one had ever poured out their emotions to her quite like that. Normally she would have laughed and possibly punched them in the face, but she was tired and confused and _scared_ and pregnant, so she just pulled herself away from him, still remaining silent.

"Say something," he prompted.

"He told me he loves me."

Howard didn't look surprised.

"Do you love him back?"

"The rocks collapsed before I could say anything."

"That's not what I asked."

"It would break his heart."

"He'll thank me on bended knee when he realises he can stay with you."

She glanced over at Up; he was talking to Galaxy-Foot and Bug, then she turned back to Howard and nodded curtly.

"_Bien_. I need this job and I need him, and if pretending to date you is how I get to stay with him then I'll do it."

Howard returned her nod and took her hand.

"What if he tells him?"

"I know how to keep Up quiet, Howard."

"That's not what I heard…" Taz slapped his arm and scowled.

"Note to self; baby hormones make you even more evil-tempered than before."

She dropped his hand and marched back to the group, Howard following quickly behind her. Up turned to her as they approached, but a flash of her eyes was all that was needed for him to close his mouth and remain where he was.

"Enough time for you?" Galaxy-Foot asked, an eyebrow raised, as they stopped in front of him. They nodded, Howard grabbed her hand and squeezed it, an action that was not missed by both Galaxy-Foot and Up, the latter of who scowled but remained silent. The Rangers began muttering between themselves and sending suspicious looks at Howard.

"Taz, I want a word with you, 6pm tomorrow, my office. Now I want you all to go and get some rest and food, move Rangers!" He saluted and they returned the gesture before heading to the drop pod that Galaxy-Foot had arrived in. No one spoke as they fastened themselves into the seats, Taz sandwiched in between Up and Howard. The tension was palpable and as soon as the pod docked Taz practically ran off the pod to the cafeteria and had collected food and disappeared to her room before anyone realised what had happened.


	10. Chapter 10

Taz didn't leave her room all of the next day – not even to eat – despite Bug, February, Tootsie, Mega-girl, Krayonder, Specs and Howard all dropping by her room asking, begging, threatening and shouting at her to come out. It was no secret now that Lieutenant Taz was pregnant with (apparently) Lieutenant Howard's child; gossip had been flying around the Starship all day, particularly regarding the paternity of the baby and the events of the previous day. Taz was not looking forward to the whispers and stares that would surely follow her the second she left the room.

When Taz glanced at the clock she felt a jolt of nervous energy pass through her as she realised she was supposed to be in the Colonel's office in forty minutes. She rolled off the bed and reached into the drawers adjacent to the bed for some clothes. She hadn't bothered dressing or washing, she figured there was no point if she was about to be fired, she was sure that, despite Howard stepping in, the next planet she would see was the ruined landscape of Earth. As she tore off the sweatpants and a Rangers t-shirt she'd changed into the previous night, she caught sight of herself in the mirror. It wasn't obvious yet, but there was a definite bulge on her lower abdomen, her abs were looking less defined already. She shuddered and poked it gently. Nothing happened. She wasn't sure what she expected to happen.

_I want it to disappear._

She shook her head, ashamed at herself for even thinking that. She may be a tough bitch, but she didn't begrudge her own child a life. She was snapped out of her stupor when someone knocked sharply on the door.

"Taz, open up. I mean it, I'm not playing around. Open the door Lieutenant, that's an order."

She stood silently, hoping Up would go away, but as if he could read her thoughts:

"I'm not leaving until you open this door, Taz," he called, and then added "I brought you some food."

It was as though her stomach had ears, it started growling loudly and she found herself telling him to wait whilea she put on some clothes. She dressed quickly and turned to the door, barely hesitating before pressing the button to open it. He barged his way into the room, hitting the door close button as he entered. She started to say something about manners, but he ignored her.

"Eat this, then we'll talk," he held out the biggest plate of food Taz had ever seen, and she started to protest, but he pushed her onto the bed, placed the food on her lap and sat at her desk, pulling a book towards him and burying his nose in it. Realising that it wouldn't be wise to push Up right now she started to eat, watching him out of the corner of his eye. He didn't look up from the book, however, until she put down her cutlery and pushed the plate aside. He put it down and came and sat by her on the bed, staring at the wall opposite. They sat in silence for a minute, neither of them moving to close the small gap that was between them, until Up spoke.

"I know why you did it, but it's pointless, you know as well as I do that everyone knows the truth," he stated bluntly, finally turning to look at her. She remained motionless, staring at the wall as though there was some fascinating TV show that was requiring all her concentration.

"They have no proof, unless one of us tells them for sure," she replied finally. "I don't want this to cause any more trouble than it already has."

"You know this won't change anything? You can't be a mother and a Ranger, Taz, I'm sorry but it's the truth."

"My job is lost either way, at least this way, you get to keep yours, and I get to stay on the Starship as a civilian."

"And what happens when they find out the truth? Because I am not having that no-good Howard telling people he's the father of my child, Taz, I would rather lose my job."

She turned to look at him finally, then burst into tears. He was stunned for a second then gathered her up in his arms, stroking her hair.

"It's gonna be fine, Taz, we'll go and see the Colonel together and tell him, we can go and live on Earth or Mars or wherever you want to go and we can raise the baby and have a house and a data-dog and I'll get a job in a seedy space-lawyers-"

She jumped to her feet and, once more, began shouting at Up.

"_No seas tonto,_ Up! We're not telling anyone anything! There's no house, no _perro_, and we are not raising this baby!"

"Taz, I am NEVER letting that man raise my child!"

"He is not raising it either, because I am not keeping it!"

There was a stunned silence, Up gaped at her as though she'd just sprouted an extra head.

"You're- you're not going to-"

"I'm giving it up for adoption," she said in a more calm voice. She wasn't sure when this had occurred to her, but she was certain as she said it. "Someone who wants a baby can have it; we'll find a good home for it."

"This isn't some, some kitten you want to re-home! This is our child! And if you think I'm letting someone else raise my kid-"

"This discussion is over," she marched over to the door. "I need to go and see Galaxy-Foot about getting fired or whatever it is he plans to do with me. Get out." She gestured for him to leave, and Up recalled the last time he was unceremoniously thrown out of the room. Shrugging in defeat, he stepped outside.

"I'm not done with you," he said coldly.

"Well, I am done with you." She stepped out into the corridor and punched the button to close the room before marching off down the corridor, Up standing furious for a second before turning on his heels and walking the other way.


	11. Chapter 11

Taz was twenty minutes early for the meeting, but she couldn't return to her room so she decided to see if Galaxy-Foot was in his office already. She had almost forgotten her concern about the other Rangers discussing her personal life, but was promptly reminded when a group of young cadets dropped their voices as they passed her, and then started whispering as soon as she rounded the corner. Normally she would have devised some form of severe revenge for their disrespect, but she found that she was too tired to care about what some snotty kids had to say about her. Besides, it wouldn't be too hard to get their Commander to add one hundred extra pushups and five laps of the Starship to their daily exercise. Commander Miller was known for his frankly cruel treatment of his cadets; he had been her own Commander for a year when she was in the academy herself.

Her communication device beeped in her pocket and she pulled it out to examine the message.

_You still owe me that drink ~ H x_

She glanced at it and was seized with a reckless desire to do _something_ that would irritate Up.

_In the bar after my meeting ~ Lt Taz_

She marched down the corridor to Colonel Galaxy-Foot's office and rapped smartly on the door.

"Enter."

She pushed the door release, walked into the office and saluted. He stood and saluted her back, then gestured for her to take a seat.

"You're early; biscuit?" He offered her a tin once she'd sat down, but she politely declined. She was feeling sick, and she was sure that the baby wasn't the only cause. Glancing down at the communication device, she was greeted with no new messages, not from Up, nor Howard, so she stuffed it in her pocket and waited for Galaxy-Foot to speak.

"How are you feeling?" he asked kindly, surveying her through brightly sparkling eyes.

"_Yo soy_ _bien_ Colonel, _gracias_," she replied stiffly, then went on hurriedly, "I don't plan on keeping _el bebé_, so please, don't fire me." She looked so desperate that Galaxy-Foot almost put a hand out to comfort her, but restrained himself and gave a reassuring smile.

"Relax, Lieutenant, I didn't bring you here to fire you. Aside from the fact that firing you because you're pregnant would be illegal, you're one of the best rangers I've got and I don't intend on letting you go that easy." She sank back into the chair in relief and he chuckled. "No, I brought you here because I want to talk to you about Up."

She sat up as quickly as she'd slumped down and Galazy-Foot laughed heartily. "I see that caught your attention!"

"What do you want to know? He's gone soft and half of his body is a robot. That is about it," she huffed.

"Do you remember when he brought you here?" He asked curiously, studying her intently. She didn't reply immediately, then nodded.

"_Si_, I remember. You were there."

"You were covered in blood, clutching a metal table leg."

She frowned briefly. "Do we need to talk about this? I don't see how it's relevant."

"Do you remember what happened that night?" He leaned forward slightly.

"_Si_, how could I forget?" She grumbled. "He- he saved my life when those robots strung me up like a _piñata _and tried to kill me at my _quinceañera_."

"And then what did he do?"

"He picked me up and carried me onto the Starship while I hit him with the table leg to make him take me back."

"And then?" Galaxy-Foot prompted.

"And then what?"

"Well, as I remember it, Space-Claw tried to make him send you back to Earth to face the robots, and Up told him that he'd rather leave Space-Claw on Earth than you."

"So?"

"So? So that man has been looking after you for ten years, and now you're arguing with him and having a child with another man," Galaxy-Foot said intently, leaning further over the desk as though he could make her change her mind the closer he got. "He is in love with you, Lieutenant."

She bristled angrily. "Not that my private life is any of your business, _sir_, but weren't you the one saying yesterday that it was unacceptable for me and Up to have a relationship?"

"Up and I have been friends for a long time, so I know that without a Taz, there is no Up, and without an Up, there is no Taz." Galaxy-Foot stood and walked around the desk to take her hands. "I know that you are facing a really tough time right now, but he needs you! If you two are fighting I have lost my best team of Rangers and I need you all on top of your game! So you're having Howard's baby, I don't understand why _you're_ angry with Up when, in my opinion, it's him who ought to be angry with you!"

"Could you please just give me my punishment so I can leave?"

"I told you, you aren't being punished," he said. "However, you obviously can't continue to go charging around in your condition. You're on admin duty until you are able to work properly again and you should go and see the medics to ensure you get the correct healthcare for the duration. And I want your gun."

She let out a slight gasp and her hands trembled slightly as she lifted the gun over her head, and placed it on the desk. She stroked it slightly before turning and making to leave the room.

"You shouldn't give Up a hard time, Taz. He's a good man; you should give him a chance."

She paused, then opened the door and left.


	12. Chapter 12

Howard had been sitting in the bar for half an hour before Taz turned up. She spotted him as she entered the long room, weaving between the tables where a few Rangers were already seated and plonked herself on a stool next to him at the bar. He waved the bartender over and Taz ordered a juice, after Howard scowled at her for trying to order something alcoholic. The drink was pushed in front of her and Howard finally spoke.

"So, what's the verdict?" He rested his elbow on the bar and took a sip of his margarita. Taz turned to face him and he smiled winningly. She returned the smile, but with less enthusiasm.

"A_dministración_, until the baby arrives," she sipped at her drink. "And I have to go to see a medic tomorrow or something."

"Make sure you go, we want the baby safe now don't we?" he smirked slightly. Taz snorted in reply.

"Have you seen Up today?" he asked casually. She stiffened slightly, her drink halfway between her mouth and the bar. She set it down before replying.

"_Si_," she said slowly. "And I told him I was finished with him." Howard looked surprised for a second, but smoothed his expression out almost immediately.

"Lucky me then. What did you say to him? Did he cry?" Howard grinned wickedly, but one look from Taz made his face fall and he grabbed his drink again, gulping it down to avoid her glare.

"It's none of your business, Howard. Just… leave it." She downed the rest of her drink and stood.

"Going somewhere?" He raised an eyebrow. She didn't say anything for a moment, then leant forward and kissed him. His eyes widened but when she didn't stop he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her back. After a few seconds he pulled away and stood himself.

"Not that I'm not grateful, but what was that for?" He looked down at her.

"Because I wanted to," she said defiantly. "And because we need to make people believe that we're together." She folded her arms and glared at him, as though daring him to say otherwise. He laughed and took her hand.

"You don't need to tell me twice, come on!" He dragged her out of the bar, out into the hallway, dodging the patrons and tables.

"Wait, where are we going?" Taz stopped abruptly, but almost toppled over when he continued running without her.

"Sorry, sorry!" Howard grabbed her before she could fall to the floor, then held her around the waist as she looked up at him. "I thought we'd go somewhere less…busy. People were staring."

"Those _idiotas_ didn't care, they're all too busy getting drunk." She wiggled her arms out and put her hands on his shoulders. "Anyway, what makes you think I wanna go somewhere private, huh?"

He didn't respond, but leant down again and kissed her, deeper this time, exploring her mouth with his tongue. She brought her arms around his neck and pulled him closer…

"A-hem."

They jumped apart guiltily, looking around for the source of the interruption. Bug was standing at the end of the corridor, his claws on his hips and a stern look on his face.

"And just what is going on here?" He walked up to them, still frowning. Taz unconsciously stepped further away from Howard, but also had a deep scowl on her face.

"None of your business, Bug, get out of here." Howard took Taz's hand and made to walk past Bug, but he stepped in their path, stopping them from passing.

"Just move Bug," Taz said, almost pleadingly. "I don't want to talk to anyone right now."

"Which is why you and Howard weren't doing much talking?"

Taz flushed red and Howard gripped her hand slightly harder, and started to pull her away. She went along but Bug put a hand out to stop her.

"Do you know what Up is doing right now?" He asked, his claw resting on her arm.

"Why do I care what Up is doing?" She shuffled nervously and tried to shake his claw off, but he held on firmly.

"He's sat in his room, crying."

"What's new?" Howard scoffed. Bug glared at him and Taz turned and shook her head. Howard sighed. "Look, when you're done talking to this idiot, drop by my room. If you still want to." He dropped her hand and continued down the corridor without looking back.

"Why are you doing this?" Bug asked gently.

"Because I'm dating Howard," she replied defiantly. "And because he's the father of my child."

"No he isn't, Taz, come on, I know the truth." He held both her wrists and looked her straight in the eye. "No matter how much you deny it, we still know the truth."

"_Si_? Well, if anyone else finds out, I'll know who told them!" She looked so menacing that Bug let go of her, but he stood his ground.

"I'm going to tell him what you're doing."

"Don't you mean _who_ I'm doing?" she retorted quickly, then laughed bitterly. "You can tell him what you like, I don't answer to him no more."

"What?" Asked Bug quickly. "Why not?"

"Because I am no longer his Lieutenant, I got put on admin," she spat. "So tell him that while he cries and tell him I'm crying too."

And with that she pushed Bug to the side and ran, not stopping until she reached Howard's door. He answered quickly as she banged on the door, allowing her to step through into his room and slamming his hand on the door close button as she started kissing him once more.


	13. Chapter 13

Taz couldn't remember the last time she'd had people talking about her without fear or admiration in their voices. She kept her head down as she collected her food from the canteen, and sat down by herself at an empty table across the hall from where her old unit sat. She was aware of the stares and whispers as she sat down, but ignored them as much as she could and started picking at her food.

"You should eat that you know." Howard plonked himself down beside her and kissed her on the cheek. She squirmed slightly and he sighed, picked up his cutlery and started eating his food. Taz resumed pushing her food around her plate, but was looking at her friends out of the corner of her eye. Krayonder, Specs and Mega-girl were chatting quietly amongst themselves, February and Bug were giggling at something Tootsie had just said but Up was silent and staring down at his food without eating. She sighed and scooped up a mouthful of the mush that was on the plate, eyeing it distastefully before letting it plop back down.

"Eat something," Howard said insistently.

"I feel sick," she said quietly, putting her knife and fork down.

"Do you want me to take you to the sick bay?" Howard asked, rubbing her back in soothing circles.

"It will pass," she said quietly. "I'll go after breakfast." She picked up her fork and swallowed a mouthful, then threw the fork onto the plate and put her face in her hands.

"Hey, what's up?" Howard asked, poking her. "Is this about last night?"

"No," she said angrily. "This is about me losing my real job, and doing nothing but paperwork for the rest of my life!"

"Calm down," he laughed. "It's not forever, you'll be back in uniform in no time." He smiled and lifted her chin up with a finger before kissing her gently. She kissed him back, but quickly broke it when she remembered where she was and who could see her. Sure enough, as she glanced across the room Up was standing with his tray, looking daggers over at where she and Howard were sitting. She dropped her eyes guiltily and began shovelling food into her mouth to distract herself. Unfortunately the sickness she felt hadn't passed, so she stopped eating and started taking deep breaths, trying to stop the wave of nausea rising up from her stomach.

"You should go to the sick bay," he said looking concerned. She shook her head, not daring to speak in case she actually threw up. Howard ate in silence while Taz twirled her fork in her fingers until a bell rang. There was a great amount of movement throughout the hall as the Rangers started making their way to morning training. Howard also stood and Taz dragged herself to her feet glumly.

"You should stay and finish that, it's not like-" He stopped himself just in time, but Taz had already narrowed her eyes.

"Not like I've got training to go to?" Taz flushed an angry shade of red and balled her hands into fists.

"No, I didn't mean-!"

"Shut up, Howard, have fun at training."

She grabbed her tray and plate and stormed off to the refuse hatch. Rangers parted before her, whispering, but she ignored them. Taz threw the plate into the gap and dropped the tray beside it before turning and marching out of the room.

She decided to go back to her room to calm down before heading to the sick bay. Taz didn't start in the office until the rangers finished morning training, which gave her four hours of nothing every morning in which she could use to bang her head against a wall. She strode along the corridors, trying to look as big as possible, but without her gun she felt tiny and insignificant. She'd always taken its protection for advantage, and without it she felt as powerless as she did aged fifteen and strung up by robots, about to die.

Suddenly someone grabbed her and yanked her through a door into a dark utility cupboard. She screamed and kicked out; her attacker gave an "oof" of pain and she snapped round to hit him, but he grabbed her wrist and stopped her.

"Lights!" Taz shouted and the tiny cupboard was flooded with light.

"Up!" she yelled. "Get the hell off me _cabrón_!" She wrenched her hand from his grasp and shrank back, tensed like a coiled spring, ready to attack at a seconds notice. Up eyed her wearily, rubbing his side where she had kicked him but didn't speak.

"I told you I was finished with you!" she shouted, her fists balled and eyes blazing.

"And I said I wasn't finished with you!" he shouted back, just as loudly. Then closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Is it true?"

"Is what true?" she snapped back, standing up straight, fists still clenched.

"Did you- did you sleep with Howard last night?" he asked quietly, opening his eyes and staring at her. His lip wobbled and she looked at him unpityingly.

"Yes," she said loudly. "I did." Taz wasn't sure why she was being _this_ harsh, but it made her feel slightly better to be in control of the situation, even though she felt the twist of guilt in her stomach again. His face crumpled, then contorted in rage.

"I am SICK of this Taz! Why are you doing this to me? With him? I said I'm sorry, what more do you want from me!" He punched the wall and took a step towards her. Taz stepped back, Up had never directed his rage at her before and a flicker of fear passed over her, before she remembered how angry she was at him.

"What do I want? I want my life back, Up! I want to walk down the hallways, with my gun, and have people part in front of me! I want to be commander and I WANT YOU TO LEAVE ME ALONE!" And with that she punched him as hard as she could in the face. She felt his nose break beneath her fist and blood spurt from his nostrils. He cried out in pain and fell to the floor with a thump. She backed out of the room in shock, blood on her hand and her clothes, and ran back to her room.

As soon as she reached her room, she smacked open the door and hurried into the bathroom to wash Up's blood off her hands. After she'd rinsed it all away she caught sight of her face in the mirror. She looked dreadful. She had bags under her eyes, a sign of all the sleep she hadn't been getting, and her skin was dull and dry, she looked like she'd aged 10 years in a few days. Taz filled the sink with water and splashed her face, then ran her hands through her hair to stop it sticking up so much. After drying her face she headed back into her bedroom to change, Up's blood had splattered onto her tank top. She frowned a little as she searched her drawers, gradually getting more and more frantic as she realised that all her uniforms were dirty. She hadn't taken any to wash for a few days, other things had gotten in the way of laundry, and the only things she had left were a pair of sweatpants and a large t-shirt with the G.L.E.E. symbol on the front. She pulled on the trousers and picked up the shirt apprehensively. It had belonged to Up, he'd given it to her when he'd brought her on board the ship and she had no clothes to change into. She'd worn it and washed it many times it had faded and shrunk slightly, but it was still large on her. She hesitated and then remembered that she had literally nothing else to wear and tugged it over her head.

She slammed the drawer shut and gathered up her dirty clothes from around the room, figuring she could throw them in the wash then go to the hospital bay as Galaxy-Foot had requested. Sighing, she grabbed the basket and left the room, trudging the now empty corridors. The laundry room was blissfully empty and she piled her clothes into a washer and pressed the power button just as someone walked into the room behind her. She turned round quickly and a small girl, even shorter than she was, almost dropped the basket she was holding and pushed her glasses up her nose nervously.

"S- Sorry," she squeaked. "I d- didn't think anyone else would be in here." She fumbled with the basket, trying to put it down on the counter, but dropped it. Quick as a flash, Taz had caught the basket and put it on top of the nearest dryer.

"T- Thank you," the girl said nervously; she sounded British to Taz. "You're Lieutenant Taz aren't you?"

"_Sí_," said Taz, looking at the girl curiously. "Why aren't you in training?"

"Oh, I broke my ankle yesterday when I was doing the assault course. They fixed me up but they said I shouldn't run on it for a couple of days. I'm really clumsy. Not like you, you're the best female Ranger in the whole Galactic League!" She fiddled with her glasses again, then realised she was staring at Taz and started shoving her clothes into the washing machine next to her.

"I'm not that great," Taz said glumly. "I've been very stupid."

"Oh, because of the baby?" the girl asked, tipping washing powder into the machine and shutting the door. "People are being very nosey about that, you know, I told them to shut up because it was none of their business but they don't often listen to me. They're quite horrible, the boys, they say some awful things to me, because I'm not as good as them, but I don't really take any notice."

She was becoming more comfortable talking in front of Taz, who wasn't really listening to her prattle on, but felt mean for telling her to shut up when she obviously wanted to unburden some of her feelings to someone. Suddenly something the girl said jerked her out of her trance.

"- Back up, and I do every time but-"

"What did you just say?" Taz said quickly. The girl looked terrified again, but squeaked out; "J- just that when I fall over they k- keep telling me to get back up and I do try but it's quite hard sometimes…"

She trailed off but Taz had what she wanted. The girl was right; she had to get back up. So what if she was pregnant? She'd be a damn good mother. So what if she'd been put on admin? It was only for a few months. So what if she hadn't got the Commander job? There'd be other positions opening up. So what if Up-

Up. She cursed and the girl jumped and started gabbling again.

"Anyway, it was an honour meeting you, but I should go and study for my exams. Congratulations!" And with that the girl hurried off, leaving Taz alone in the laundry room, pondering what to do next.


	14. Chapter 14

Hello! I forgot to apologise for uploading chapter 8 twice, I saved the wrong file and stupidly uploaded it. It's all fixed now, I'm very sorry! Here's the next chapter!

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><p>Taz found herself in the infirmary, deciding that getting her visit out of the way first was the most important thing. The nurse on duty had given her a stack of papers to fill in, some pamphlets to read and told her to sit in the waiting area. Taz recalled the previous time she'd been sitting in this waiting room, desperate for any news on Up, raging at anyone who approached her with no news and swearing she'd never shout at him again, that she'd tell him how she felt about him…<p>

She shook her head and settled herself down opposite a Ranger who was glaring, rather unsuccessfully due to the fact that one of his eyes was swollen shut, at another Ranger who had a cut lip, which was bleeding profusely. Flipping a couple of the papers over, Taz realised they were double sided, causing her to curse under her breath and the other Rangers to edge away slightly. She started slowly filling in the forms; she hated writing, another reason she was distinctly repulsed by having to do admin for any amount of time.

The questions started off easily enough; full name, date of birth etc, then went on to ask questions more directly related to the pregnancy; whether she'd had any morning sickness, and if she knew the date of conception. Then the $1,000,000 question. Father's name. She glanced around nervously, in case her neighbours saw her pause over the question and jumped up with accusing, pointed fingers. The other Rangers ignored her, of course, and she decided to skip the question and hope no one read too much into it. She rushed through the rest of the forms (Any other medical conditions, Medical history), gave them to the nurse and started flicking through some of the leaflets she'd been given. She was halfway through "_Dos and Don'ts: A Mother's Guide_" when a familiar voice drifted from the corridor next to the nurses desk.

"…absolutely lethal, and she's got no respect for other officers!"

"That's harsh, she's a good soldier!"

"She just broke your nose!"

"I provoked her, it was my fault."

Up was talking animatedly around the corner with what sounded like the medic, Price. She leaned forward to listen, and a third voice joined in, silencing the argument.

"He does have a point, Up. You were always the only officer who could get her to obey any kind of command, and now she's attacking you as well. If it had been any other Ranger she'd be in serious trouble! Well, she is in serious trouble, but more serious! She can't go around attacking other officers because they do something she doesn't like!" Galaxy-Foot shouted.

"She's frustrated, she's had a tough week and I just… pushed her over the edge. Don't punish her any more, she's miserable enough as it is."

"Not so miserable that she can't go around screwing her senior officers," Price retorted. Taz heard a smack of body on wall and the Colonel started shouting at Up again. The nurse tutted and marched down the corridor.

"Gentlemen! That is enough! This is a place of healing and you are distressing my patients! Doctor Price, you have patients to see. Colonel, Commander I am going to have to ask you to leave!"

Footsteps signalled the approach of the three men and Taz buried her head in another leaflet (_What To Do When Your Child Gets Hold Of Your Zapper_) and started praying to dead-God that they would pass by without noticing her.

No such luck.

"Here's your next patient information, Doctor," the nurse was saying. A pause, then:

"Lieutenant, this way please."

She looked up slowly to find Price, Galaxy-Foot and Up all staring at her from across the room. Still fuming from her eavesdropping she approached the group. Price was rubbing his throat and Taz was pleased to see the red finger-shaped marks where Up had obviously pinned him to the wall. There was an awkward silence for a couple of seconds, before Taz spoke.

"I heard everything you said."

Galaxy-Foot looked unnerved, and Price had a minor look of horror. Up, however, did nothing. Another awkward pause ensued before the nurse reminded Price that he was supposed to be working, and she was summoned with a finger to follow him. She fell into step beside him as he read her notes, but turned when she heard footsteps behind her. Up jogged up to them, Price raised an eyebrow but said nothing, and Taz stared straight ahead, lest she break down and start apologising in a very emotional way in front of Price and Up.

"Do you mind if I sit in?" he asked quietly.

"It's up to the patient," Price replied curtly, still studying the papers he held in his left hand, and massaging his throat with his right. Taz nodded, still not daring to speak and Up fell silent too, walking beside her.

They walked down several corridors - pale yellow, unlike the grey steel of the rest of the Starship - until Price pointed them into an examination room and told Taz to sit on the bed. Up took the chair opposite, and spread himself out like he owned the place. Price rolled his eyes, but said nothing, and began questioning Taz. Things started out fine; yes, she'd had some morning sickness, yes, that was definitely the date of conception, no, she hadn't been doing anything dangerous. Price and Up both snorted at this, and Taz scowled again.

"Okay, I think that's everything, you haven't filled in father's name?" He said, flipping the pages over.

"No, I don't want to," Taz said, shaking her head. "I don't need a man, I can do this myself."

Price threw a suspicious look at Up, but didn't say anything. "I just need to go and get the scanner, it's still in the other room, don't move and don't kill each other while I'm gone, okay?"

He marched out of the room, shutting the door behind him and leaving them in silence. Up fidgeted on his seat and Taz picked at the plastic sheet beneath her before speaking.

"They, uh, they fixed your nose?" she said, looking at him finally.

"Yep, all fixed," he said, a little too brightly. "You've done worse." He grinned briefly. There was another awkward silence, then-

"Taz-"

"Up-"

They spoke at once, but Taz held a hand up to indicate that he should let her speak, and he nodded.

"Look, I… I didn't sleep with Howard, okay? I was going to, and then Bug turned up and I felt guilty because you were crying so I didn't go through with it, but I was so angry because this isn't my fault and then you assaulted me in the cupboard and I lost control and I didn't mean to because-"

She stopped and looked at him, then shook her head and started picking at the plastic again.

"Because what?" he asked interestedly, head cocked to one side.

"Nothing."

"Oh, okay. It just sounded like you were going to say something."

"I wasn't."

"Are you sure? Because it sounded like you might have been going to say-"

"Shut up!"

Up laughed and walked over to her, gathering her in a bone breaking hug.

"Up! You are squashing the baby!" she managed to shout, and he released her slightly. "You're so sentimental, you big _idiota_." But she laughed all the same.

Suddenly Up swooped down and captured her lips with his own. His arms wrapped around her waist and hugged her close, but she placed her hands on his chest and gently pushed him away.

"We- we can't, Up," she stammered, hands still on his chest. "You…you have to keep your job and I have to look after this baby." He looked devastated and started protesting when Price walked back into the room.

"Well, I won't pretend this is a surprise," he said dryly, setting the scanner down on the desk. Taz pushed Up away and he stepped back, hesitated for a moment, then walked over to the door.

"Up, where you going?" Taz asked, a confused look on her face.

"I've got training to get to, Ranger, good… good luck." And with that he walked out of the door and closed it behind himself, ignoring Taz's protests.

She turned back to Price, who wisely didn't comment on what had just happened, but instead told her to lie back on the bed while he ran the scanner over her. It beeped several times and Price took it away to examine. Taz sat up, staring at the door, debating whether to go after Up or not.

"Well, everything looks good," Price announced, tapping the device. "Baby's a healthy size, conception date was spot on which means you're due in about 27 weeks. Morning sickness should stop in a couple of weeks, you should be eating properly, not doing anything too risky, and taking it easy; if you know how to do that," he added. "Do you want a picture?" he asked gently.

Taz nodded dumbly, and Price handed over a hologram tablet which sprang to life in her hands and showed a replica of her baby. She found herself welling up, and Price passed her a tissue which she accepted gratefully.

"It's okay," he said, patting her shoulder awkwardly. "Do you want me to go and find him for you?"

"No," she shook her head. "And don't…don't tell anyone about that, _si_?"

"Patient confidentiality," he smiled at her and led her out of the room. "Just don't try and kill me again okay?"

She laughed. "I won't. Thank you."

He nodded and she walked off down the corridor, leaving the infirmary for her new job in the administration department.


	15. Chapter 15

I am incredibly sorry for the long delay, I endeavour to post all the remaining chapters over the next week. Thank you all so much for your lovely reviews and your patience. I hope you enjoy the chapter.

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><p>Three months later found Taz sat in an office, hunched over a desk and frowning at the weapons log Krayonder had handed her that morning. Not only was his handwriting appalling but there was something that wasn't adding up; he'd checked out five short range zappers and one long range, but seven short range guns had returned with no sign of the long range. Sighing, she realised that the only way to solve this was to go and harass Krayonder herself, so she sent him a message demanding to know where he was and when he'd be done so she could kick his scrawny ass into doing his paperwork properly.<p>

Somebody set a cup of tea in front of her and perched on the desk, on top of all her paperwork.

"So, have you heard?" the girl from the laundry room asked, pushing her glasses up her face nervously as Taz looked up at her.

"Heard what, _Violeta_?" Taz asked impatiently, yanking the papers from underneath her and taking a gulp of the tea. Violet toppled off the desk, but waited for Taz to move the sheets and sat down again. "And you wonder why they put you on admin? You so clumsy." Violet laughed nervously and rubbed her nose.

"Well, anyway, I heard that they're going to do it!" she said excitedly, peering at Taz to see her reaction. They'd become good friends over the past couple of months. Well, Violet thought they were friends; Taz tolerated her because she brought her tea and gossip from the other admin girls who were terrified of Taz. Taz picked up a pen and began scribbling down some figures on a piece of paper, frowning.

"Did you hear me? They're going to attack Stroummhold next month!" Violet said excitedly, pleased that she'd managed to acquire that particular piece of information for Taz.

"_No ses tonto_," Taz said impatiently. "That's the penguin stronghold, it's _suicidio_."

"I know! Apparently they're going to announce it this evening!" Violet continued. "And there's something else." Taz raised an eyebrow as she checked her communication device to see that Krayonder had replied to say that he was in the gym with the rest of his team.

"_Si?_" she said, tapping out a reply.

"Well, I heard that Commander Up is leading the attack," Violet said quietly, watching Taz closely.

"You should gossip less," Taz said sternly. "I have to go and chase Krayonder for this stupid weapon log. Go and finish your work."

Taz stood and Violet smiled as Taz's stomach was revealed.

"How much longer?" she asked Taz.

"_Quince semanas_," she said absentmindedly, gathering Krayonder's papers and draining the rest of the tea.

"A while, then." Violet jumped off the desk and picked up the mug, then promptly dropped it. Taz clicked her teeth impatiently as Violet ducked beneath the desk to pick it up. "Sorry! I'll let you get off, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"_Si_, or at this ridiculous announcement, if it happens," Taz said dryly. "_Adios_."

"See you!" Violet called as Taz crossed the room and headed out into the Starship to the gym.

As she wound her way through the corridors of the Starship she was greeted by several Rangers who enquired about her general health and her baby, which she replied to with convincing optimism, when deep down she just wanted to be left alone. True, the gossip surrounding her had died down, as gossip always does, but she was still mourning the loss of her reputation. She was no longer the most feared Ranger in the G.L.E.E., she was just some stupid chick who'd let herself get knocked up at the peak of her career. But of course, she'd long learned that raging would do no good and simply nodded and answered their questions with a stupid smile on her face.

She reached the gym and turned around to push the door open with her back, as her arms were full, but almost fell backwards when someone opened the door from the inside. She shrieked and dropped the papers as she put down her hands to save herself, but was caught by a pair of strong arms that hoisted her upwards and set her back on her feet.

"You should be more careful," Up said dryly, bending down to pick the scattered papers up off the floor. Taz quickly dropped to her knees to help him, but was pushed back onto her feet and handed the papers before she'd barely had chance to grab anything.

"Sorry about that," Up said, sidestepping her. "I'll let you get back to whatever you were doing." He started to walk away, but before Taz could stop herself, she called after him.

"_Un momento!_" She walked over to him quickly and pulled him to one side. "Are you going to see Galaxy-Foot?"

He gave her a strange look; they'd barely spoken since the incident in the hospital. She'd shown him the picture of the baby and he'd asked how she was doing a couple of times, but other than that their conversation had been sadly lacking, something that was taking a toll on both of them.

"What have you heard?" he said, hands on hips and an expression on his face that Taz assumed was supposed to look annoyed, but ended up looking like a cross between pride and amusement.

"I heard you were leading the attack on Stroummhold next month," she replied, one eyebrow raised, but a smile also playing around the corner of her mouth.

"Then it is my duty to inform you that that is classified information, and I can't possibly reveal whether that is true or not," Up grinned at her. "But if it were true, I would advise anyone who might be concerned, that we at the G.L.E.E. are prepared for all possibilities and have an excellent battle plan in place that ensures a ninety percent success rate."

"I wouldn't go below ninety-five," Taz replied. "So it's true then? What's the plan? You do know they have a hundred guards on each entrance to the station?"

"I am well aware of that Miz, but be assured, we are well prepared for this mission." He flashed her his winning "Trust me, I'm a Commander" smile, but Taz scowled and elbowed him in the ribs.

"Don't call me "Miz"," she said angrily stepping closer and lowering her voice. "Up, are you sure about this? I've seen the reports, this is _suicidio_, you know that."

She had a worried look on her face that Up had rarely seen. He wanted to gather her in his arms and tell her it was going to be fine, but he also wanted his face in one piece for the announcement that evening. Instead he settled with a reassuring smile, a pat on the arm and a change in subject.

"It's going to be alright Taz, don't worry!" he said cheerfully. "How are you? How's the baby? Have you being taking your vitamins and doing your exercises?"

"_Sí, sí_," she nodded, annoyed that he'd steered away from the conversation, but not complaining as she was supposed to be keeping her blood pressure within a normal range. She had to admit she had been finding this rather difficult. "Baby is fine, Up, don't worry."

"Good, good." There was an awkward pause as the two Rangers smiled tentatively at each other.

"I should-"

"I need to-"

They laughed as they spoke over each other, then both turned and headed in opposite directions.

"Taz! Wait!" Up called. She turned just as he scooped her into his arms and hugged her tightly.

"I miss you," he whispered into her ear.

"_Te echo también_," she mumbled back, unable to hug him due to the sheets in her arms, but pressed a kiss to his cheek instead.

He released her and she shifted her papers onto her left arm allowing her to rub furiously at her eyes with her right. Up chuckled and produced a handkerchief which he used to dry her eyes more gently; then he briefly placed a hand on her stomach, smiled, and headed off down the hallway to Galaxy-Foot's office. Taz sniffed, adjusted the papers and headed off into the gym to threaten Krayonder with another knife to the back unless he sorted his paperwork out immediately.


	16. Chapter 16

The announcement came in the middle of the evening meal. The Rangers were all instructed to convene on the assembly hall for an important meeting. Taz and Howard exchanged dark looks; she had told him about the conversation she'd had with Up and he'd filled her in with what he knew. He'd been made a Commanding officer a month previously and as such was now privy to information that Taz couldn't get hold of herself. He'd done his best to withhold certain bits, but after she'd come demanding information from him that afternoon he'd found it very hard not to tell her what he knew, especially after she'd removed her knife from its sheath. As a result of this she now knew that the G.L.E.E. had been receiving threats of total annihilation from the Penguins since the cliff incident, and the G.L.E.E. had had enough.

Howard prodded Taz as she began staring into space again, thinking about what the Galactic League could possibly be planning, and she jerked back into reality.

"You keep doing that," he said, looking at her with concern.

"Doing what?" she replied grumpily, shovelling an impressive amount of food into her mouth. He opened his mouth in shock, closed it again, shook his head, then spoke again.

"Zoning out; you've been doing it all evening," Howard replied, putting a rather smaller amount of food onto his own fork. "What's up?"

At the word "up" she tensed slightly, but muttered "Nothing" and continued eating, more slowly this time. Howard smiled, nudged her slightly and pressed a brief kiss to her cheek. She accepted it without complaint, but her thoughts already far away; on the other side of the room, to be precise.

She was staring at Up again. He wasn't eating; the other Rangers kept putting food on his fork and waving it in his face, but he was having none of it. His was sitting very still, staring at the opposite wall unless someone spoke to him. Occasionally he would turn to someone to answer a question or tell them to stop forcing him to eat, but other than that he looked as blank as Taz did.

She studied him as he turned to tell Bug to put his fork down. He was thinner, definitely, and his hair had become greyer, if that was possible. _Is that my fault?_ she wondered fretfully. She'd heard he'd been less enthusiastic and more like the old tough Up lately, but she hadn't thought that was a bad thing. She shuffled on her seat uneasily, trying to block out her thoughts.

_Why don't you tell him? You can't push this away, you know you-_

"Do you want to come over tonight?" Howard interrupted her train of thought and she turned gratefully to him. "We could watch a movie?"

She glanced over at Up, who had chosen that exact moment to look over at her. She blushed and smiled and he grinned at her, then waved his communication device and began tapping something on it. She felt her own communication device buzz in her pocket and grinned back.

"Sorry, Howard, I got some work I need to catch up on," she said, not altogether untruthfully; she still had to submit Krayonder's weapons log.

"Okay, maybe another time," he shrugged, finishing his meal and dropping his cutlery down rather harder than he usually would. "We should get going; I'm supposed to be there by now."

She scooped another couple of mouthfuls up, then stood and grabbed her plate, following Howard over to the garbage and out into the corridor. They headed in the direction of the assembly hall; Taz slid her communication device out of her pocket to read Up's message and tap out a reply:

_Karate Kid? _~ _Up x_

_:) ~ T x_

"Who's that?" Howard asked nosily, trying to read the screen. Taz pushed his face away and told him to mind his own business before shoving it back in her pocket. He laughed at her before grabbing her hand and pulling her into a smaller corridor off the main one and into an alcove.

"What are you doing _idiota_?" She said crossly, trying to extract herself – a feat made difficult by her expansive stomach – while Howard entwined their fingers and began planting kisses on her neck.

"Nghh, Howard, _no,_" she said, managing to wriggle out into the corridor as Howard's face fell. "_Io siento_."

"What is your problem, Taz?" he asked, an angry look descending on his face. "Why do you keep pushing me away? I thought we were supposed to be together!"

She bit her lip uncertainly, not knowing what to do. Howard's scowl became more pronounced.

"What the hell is going on? I have put up with your moods and your bitching because, dead God knows why, I love you, Taz, okay? I'm in love with you and you just… blow me off all the time and moan at me or worse, ignore me! Well, I'm sick of it. You're on your own." He turned on his heel and made to march off down the corridor, but she called him back.

"You're not- you're not going to tell people are you?" Taz's eyes were wide and desperate. "He'll lose his job and they'll find out I lied!"

"Taz, everybody knows anyway, I don't know who you're kidding," he said, almost spitefully. "I'm- I'm sick of being used by you."

"_Por favor!_" she said pleadingly. "I can't tell them. Please."

She actually looked pathetic, Howard noted. He didn't know why she was so paranoid about the G.L.E.E. finding out about her and Up; the rumours had been going around for years. Their superior officers, although relationships between senior officers and lower ranking Rangers were forbidden, had often ignored the relationship between the two; Up was the only person within the Galactic League who had real control over Taz.

"Taz, I'm not comfortable with this anymore, I think Up actually tried to shoot me the other day! That zapper was pointed right at me! Why can't you just admit it to yourself? You're in l-"

But Taz had heard enough. She was sick of people telling her she was in love with Up. She was sick of _herself _telling her she was in love with Up. She was Taz, the toughest son of a bitch to ever walk the corridors of the Starship, she didn't need a man to look after her and make her feel better about herself. The result of these inner monologues was Taz making quite possibly the worst decision she had made in her life, including letting Up get her pregnant and allowing her mother to throw her a _quinceañera_. Taz grabbed him, span him round and kissed him roughly, snaking her arms around his neck and pulling him closer. He kissed her back for a few seconds before he pulled away, resting his forehead on hers.

"I'm not going to let you do this," he said; eyes squeezed shut. "You need him and he needs you and I can't stand in the way of that anymore. I know you think I'm a dick, and maybe I am, but I'm not going to let you hurt him anymore."

He stood back; her hands slid from around his neck and he saw that she was crying.

"C'mon Taz," he said a little exasperatedly. "Dead God, why don't you just tell him?"

"_I can't_," she said through gritted teeth. "I don't need _un hombre_. I can do this myself."

"Then why did you just stick your tongue down my throat if you don't need a man?" Howard asked viciously, trying to goad her into admitting how she felt about Up. "You know what? You don't have the guts."

"_Qué?_" she said dangerously, her tears stopping and her eyes narrowing. She took a step forward; Howard stood his ground and actually stood up to her, something that only Up had ever attempted (and he had paid for it too).

"You are too scared of admitting that you need someone, that you can't do this by yourself! You're in love with him and he's in love with you and I don't understand why you can't admit it to yourself when it is completely obvious!" Howard was towering over her now, inches from her face, his hands waving in the air with frustration. Taz herself had her right hand balled into a fist, her left reaching towards her knife and an ugly expression on her face,

"What the hell is going on here!" It was Up. He stormed over to them, eyes shooting daggers at Howard.

"Nothing," Howard muttered, looking slightly guiltily at Taz, who was also looking uncomfortable.

"Get going then," Up said sharply, pointing back down the corridor. Howard, who technically didn't have to do anything Up said now that they ranked equally, turned on his heel and disappeared down the corridor before anyone said anything else, leaving Up and Taz alone in the corridor.

"Shouldn't you be at the meeting?" asked Taz, staring at her feet.

"I heard you and Howard shouting, thought I should come and save you," he grinned widely, then noticed she was avoiding his gaze and his smile faded slightly. "What's wrong?"

"_Nada_," she said, still determinedly staring down at her stomach.

"Hey," Up said gently, lifting her chin up with a finger and making her look into his eyes. "What happened?"

She shook her head, looking miserable. "I'm so stupid."

"You're not stupid, Taz, just… emotional," Up struggled for words. "You'll be fine once you've had the baby, back to your old murdering self!"

"I kissed Howard, Up," she blurted out, deciding that honesty was the best policy. Up didn't say anything for a moment; then smiled wanly.

"I guess The Karate Kid's off then?" he joked half-heartedly, then put a hand on his face. "I can't do this anymore, Taz. I love you but I'm not going to torture myself, waiting for you to decide between me and him. Let me know when you've made your mind up."

He made to walk away, but she pulled him back.

"_No,_ _esperar_!" She swallowed nervously, desperately trying to put her words together.

"Mirame…mirame…I don't know how to say this, _no estoy pensado correcto_…but I can't do this alone, Up, and Howard's an asshole, _y estoy loco por decir esto_…but I need you. And sometimes I think I love you. A lot of the time actually. _Yo no sé. No sé. Mierda._ Don't just walk away, Up. I love you, okay? _Te amo_. Okay?"

She looked up at him desperately, holding onto his wrist like it was a lifeline. Up didn't look at her for a while, instead studying the wall above her intently. She pulled on his wrist to make him look at her and when he looked down she saw that his eyes were watering. She dropped his wrist and flung her arms around his waist, hugging him as tightly as she could without crushing the baby, and began weeping. Up put his arms around her and held her, letting her tears soak his shirt and feeling his own tears slide down his face.

"It's okay, Taz, we're gonna be okay." He rubbed her back gently and eventually her tears stopped. He fumbled in his pocket and found the handkerchief she'd cried into earlier, drying her eyes with it for the second time that day. "Better?"

She nodded; a smile now on her face, and he grinned down at her before kissing her gently and taking her hands in his.

"Come on, the meeting started five minutes ago, I'm supposed to be giving a speech!" They walked briskly to the assembly hall and slipped in the back door where many Rangers were standing, all eyes focused on the stage at the front of the hall where Galaxy-Foot was talking in a serious voice.

"…The G.L.E.E. has decided that the time has come to make a final stand. Two months from now the Galactic League will be sending an expert team to complete a top secret mission, but for this to work we need a diversion! We need all of you to help our brave soldiers by taking down as many of these bastards as you can! For the G.L.E.E., for the Earth, for the Universe!"

There was a huge surge of applause, whoops and general noise. It took a minute for Galaxy-Foot to calm the rowdy Rangers down; many of them hadn't seen any action since the Robot Wars.

"Is Commander Up here yet? Could you come up here please, Sir?" Every head in the hall swivelled round to catch a glimpse of him; every head but Howard's, Taz noted. Up gave her hand a quick squeeze then marched through the crowds of Rangers, who parted like the Red Sea before him, and stood up on the stage.

"Ladies, gentlemen, data dogs," he began in a serious tone. "The time has come for action. As you know the G.L.E.E. is being threatened by these _birds_ and the time has come for us to fight back! I will be leading a team into the heart of their base where we will disable their technology and blast them all into the darkest realms of the Universe!"

There was more applause as Bug, February, Tootsie, Mega-girl, Krayonder and Specs all filed onto the stage to stand behind Up, grave expressions on their normally happy faces. Taz realised, with a pang, that she'd do anything to be up there with them right now.

"These fine young men and women will be risking their lives alongside me to make this war successful, and you'd all better do your damn best to make sure they can get the job done!"

A final roar of the crowd signalled the end of the meeting and the Rangers began to file out of the doors. Taz moved as quickly as she could through the crowd going in the opposite direction until she finally reached the stage where her old team and Up were having a serious discussion with Galaxy-Foot. She hovered at the bottom of the steps leading onto the platform for a minute before Up noticed her and waved her up. As she reached the stage she was tackled by February who started squealing and hugging her, and was clapped on the back by Bug and Krayonder before Up swept her into his arms and planted a kiss on the top of her head.

"Up!" she protested, trying to un-link his arms from where he had rested them on her stomach, but failed miserably. A small cough caused her to jerk her head up to see the face of Galaxy-Foot, one eyebrow raised, watching them closely. She stood there, not daring to move or breathe, certain that they were both about to be fired when-

"It's about time!" Galaxy-Foot boomed, grinning broadly, slapping Up's arm playfully and winking at Taz.

"Thank you, sir," Up smiled back, not removing his arms from around Taz, as his Rangers started whooping and cat-calling. Taz was still uncomfortable with the surprise public display of affection and pulled his arms from around her, instead standing by his side and fixing Galaxy-Foot with her best "Don't mess with me if you know what's good for you" glare.

"What are the chances that they will come back alive?" she growled, gesturing at her former comrades, all of whom had fallen silent and still. Galaxy-Foot didn't answer for a moment, instead looking at Up as though seeking permission for something. Up nodded and took hold of Taz's hand as Galaxy-Foot spoke to her.

"These Rangers are the bravest soldiers I have ever known. They will be risking their lives to end this senseless war. I can guarantee they will all be heroes. I can't guarantee they will all live to celebrate it."

Taz turned to face the other Rangers, all of whom had looks of fierce determination on their faces, even Tootsie. None of them looked surprised at this information, indeed, Bug and Mega-girl looked as though they felt sorry for Taz. She turned away from them angrily to confront Galaxy-Foot again.

"So you just gonna let them die? This is _estupido_! They gonna die for nothing and I-" she stopped abruptly, lowering her arms from where they had been waving around in the air and breathing heavily. "I- I'm gonna be left _todo solo_."

Up tightened his grip on her hand a little more and February came and linked her arm in Taz's and rested her head on Taz's shoulder; something that would normally earn February a good kick but which Taz was oddly grateful for at that moment.

"Then I suggest you make the best of the time you have left," Galaxy-Foot replied sadly before walking off the stage and out of the hall leaving the Rangers in silence on the stage.

An hour later found Taz and Up curled around each other on Up's bed; The Karate Kid was playing quietly in the background and Taz was resting her head on Up's bare chest as he played with the strands of hair that had fallen out of her bandana.

"It's gotten long," he said, idly twisting a long strand around his index finger.

"Mmm, I haven't cut it since I stopped training," she mumbled, tracing patterns with her fingers on his chest, following the faint bump of his scar as it travelled down his body. They fell silent; Up enjoying the slight tickling sensation Taz's fingers were causing, Taz trailing her fingers across his body, deep in thought.

"Penny for them," Up said softly, noticing Taz's glazed look.

"_Un penique?_" she asked puzzled, propping herself up on one elbow to look at his face.

"My momma used to say "Penny for your thoughts" when I was a kid. It means; tell me what you're thinking and I'll give you a penny," he explained, smiling at her expression.

"Keep your damn penny," she said rolling onto her back and closing her eyes. "Ow!"

"What?" Up said, immediately concerned, his hands cupping her face. She wriggled into a sitting position, slapping his hands away and he sat back, arms raised in defeat.

"It's just _el bebé_," she said impatiently; massaging a part of her stomach low down on the left-hand side. "It kicked me."

Up grinned and placed his hand where Taz had been rubbing, then frowned.

"I can't feel anything," he said in a slightly whiny voice. Taz rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand moving it slightly further up. Up felt it then, the tiniest bump as his baby flexed one of its tiny feet outwards.

"I- Taz-" Up seemed lost for words and spent the next few minutes grinning like a moron every time the baby moved while Taz lay back and enjoyed the feeling of someone else massaging her stomach for once. Eventually the baby decided it had had enough and stopped moving around, Up took his hands off Taz's stomach and leant down, brushing her lips with his own and smiling as she kissed him back, her arms around his neck. He lay down beside her and she cuddled up to him; her arm over his stomach and her head on his chest once more.

"We've wasted so much time," Taz whispered, and Up felt something wet on his chest; she was crying. "If I hadn't been so-"

"Hey, come on," Up said quickly, taking the hand draped across his stomach in his own. "We've got time. We've had years together Taz, even if it's not the way we wanted. And we've got a good chance on this mission, they're good Rangers, professionals-" (Taz snorted) "and we're gonna get the job done and I'm going to come back here and take care of you."

"What if I told you not to go?" she asked. "What if I asked you to stay with me and let the others go instead?"

"You wouldn't do that," he replied softly. "You're not that selfish."

She was crying openly now, the tears pouring down her face and onto Up's chest as he put his arms around her and rocked her, not knowing what he could say to comfort her.

"I- I d-don't wanna be b- by myself," she sobbed, clinging onto him. "I c-can't do this by myself!"

"Okay, okay, calm down, it's gonna be alright, it's gonna be fine," he said shushing her and stroking her hair. "Taz, please don't cry. You've cried so much today. You're gonna make me cry and then we'll both be crying."

She took some deep, shuddering breaths to calm herself down and accepted the tissue Up passed her gratefully.

"Taz?"

"_Sí?_"

"You weren't… you're not really gonna give the baby away are you?"

She didn't answer immediately, she was still dabbing at her eyes, but when she was done she snuggled up to him once more.

"_Claro que no_," she muttered. "It's mine."

Up smiled as she closed her eyes and fell asleep, got up to stop the movie and joined her on the bed, falling into a slumber next to her.


	17. Chapter 17

The tension was tangible in the air of the Starship. The Rangers stood in their respective drop pod zones, waiting for the announcement that would signal their descent onto the planet below and begin the biggest battle the G.L.E.E. had seen since the Robot Wars. Nervous conversations were being carried out across the ship, goodbyes and good lucks with kisses and hugs from people who didn't know if they were ever going to see each other again.

The small team that was going into the heart of the Penguin stronghold was currently stationed in the control room of the Starship being given last minute instructions on the computer virus and explosive device they were going to be planting on the enemy base.

"…And you'll need at least twenty minutes to make sure you can get back out and away from the base before it goes off, it shouldn't take you that long to get out but if you're stopped for any reason-"

"Okay, sir, we know," Up was saying patiently to a rather nervous Galaxy-Foot who was pacing the room.

"Good, good, you know the plan, I just… I want this over with dammit! And I can't afford to lose all of you!" He thumped the nearest desk causing a cup of coffee to fall over and spill its contents on the floor. Violet hurried forwards with a cloth to clean it up, looking even more tense and on edge than usual. Suddenly the door burst open and Howard catapulted into the room.

"Colonel! They're moving out, the Rangers are ready; we're just waiting on your orders!" he barked, standing to attention, his eyes focused on Galaxy-Foot's face.

"Good, well done, we're just waiting for confirmation the infirmary is prepared and we'll head out." Galaxy-Foot turned to Up, who was checking his gun and listening to Specs explaining for the third time that day exactly how he was supposed to install the computer virus. "Up, are you ready?"

Up nodded, slinging his gun over his shoulder and standing up straight as Krayonder, Bug, February, Tootsie and Mega-girl grabbed their own weapons. Specs was to stay behind in the control room to guide them through Stroummhold, activate the virus and detonate the bomb remotely. No one was particularly pleased with this arrangement, particularly Specs herself, but she had written the virus herself and was the only one who knew how to activate it correctly and wipe all of the Penguins technology clean. She hugged each of her colleagues in turn and wished them luck. She hugged Krayonder last; the other Rangers cheered as he decided a hug wasn't enough and kissed her. She grinned goofily and hugged him once more before he stood back and saluted her.

The door to the control room opened once more and a very pregnant Taz walked into the room making a beeline for Galaxy-Foot.

"I've just been in the infirmary, they said they ready for you," she said quickly before crossing over to Up and hugging him tightly and kissing him. "You be careful, you big _idiota_, okay?"

"I'll be fine, Taz, don't worry," he replied, returning the hug. "Are you staying in here?"

"_Sí_, unless they need extra help in _el hospital_," she said briskly. To the others they seemed relaxed, almost optimistic about the fact that there was a good chance they would never see each other again. In reality they had spent the night wrapped in each other's arms, making plans for Taz and the baby if Up didn't return and whispering "I love you" until dawn. "You guys ready?"

The other Rangers nodded eagerly and hugged her before following Up and Galaxy-Foot out into the corridor. Howard lingered for a moment before hugging Taz, kissing her quickly on the mouth and then followed the rest of the crowd through the door and out into the corridor.

An hour later and the control room was in chaos. They were losing badly; the infirmary was filling up and the medics were finding it hard to cope. Up and the team had arrived at the Penguin base, but had already suffered a loss; Krayonder had been hit as they crossed the battlefield and was currently being transferred up to the hospital for emergency treatment. Taz was preparing to head down there herself to aid the medics, but was waiting to make sure Up and the rest of the team made it into Stroummhold before she left. Violet sidled over to Taz and gave her a quick hug.

"They'll be fine, do you want me to come down with you?"

"_No_, I'll be fine," Taz said quickly, her eyes never leaving the screen that displayed the vital signs of Up and his team.

"_Okay, we're in!"_Up's voice came through into the room clearly and Taz let out a sigh of relief. There was a great amount of cheering and Taz turned to leave the room, but stopped suddenly and screwed her eyes shut, clutching the nearest desk for support. Violet noticed this and hurried over to her, concerned.

"Taz, I, uh, I think you need to go to the hospital," Violet said quietly. Taz went pale, but didn't protest as Violet steered her out into the corridor.

"_Mierda_," Taz whispered. "What do I do?"

"Okay, let's get you seen to," Violet said firmly, grabbing her arm and steering her out into the corridor. "Are you okay?"

"_Sí_," she replied, looking determinedly ahead as they walked through the Starship. Violet held onto Taz tightly and dragged her over to the reception desk when they reached the infirmary. The place was packed, there were soldiers occupying every available space. Most of them didn't seem to be too badly injured, but the screams coming from further inside the hospital indicated that there were far more seriously wounded soldiers in the inside.

"Excuse me! Excuse me! My friend needs help! She's having a baby!" Violet said in a panicked voice to the receptionist at the desk. The receptionist stared at her incredulously before returning to deal with the soldier holding a blood-stained t-shirt to his left eye.

"Um, excuse me!" Violet said frowning. "My friend needs some help!"

"There's a queue," the receptionist snapped, pointing at the far side of the room where the line of injured Rangers ended. Violet looked as though she was about to argue but Taz grabbed her arm and pulled her down the corridor further into the hospital.

"Look, we'll go find _mi doctor_, _sí_?" she said gruffly and set off peering through the curtains trying to find Price.

"…3 units of blood and keep the pressure on, if she doesn't improve in an hour we'll amputate, I think the blood is just pooling in the leg." Price appeared around the corner, talking rapidly to another medic who was nodding vigorously and doubled back after Price had finished talking. Taz walked up to him and he jumped as she pulled on his arm.

"Taz! Fantastic! You can help change some bed sheets and keep-"

"_No_, Price, I think… I think the baby's coming," she said quickly. Price's face fell.

"Are you serious?" he asked, looking her over. "Shit, Taz, I've got a hundred injured soldiers and now a premature baby to deal with! Okay, seven weeks early… have you had any contractions yet? Any pains at all?"

She bit her lip and nodded. "This morning. I thought it was just _falso parto_, it's too early!" She was starting to panic; her hands were shaking and Price knew if he didn't calm her down soon she would probably start damaging property and people.

"Let's get you seated in here and sort you out," Price said, grabbing her elbow and steering her behind a hospital curtain, then helping her onto a bed. "Can you tell me when the pains started and how many there have been?"

"About… about six am," she said shakily. "And maybe _tres_? I don't know!" she finished with a shake of her head and buried her face in her hands. Violet hugged her and smoothed down her hair while Price extracted a scanner from behind the bed and instructed her to lie down.

"Just stay calm," he said, running the device over Taz and checking the screen. "Your contractions have started, but your waters haven't broken yet which means you have time before the baby arrives. It's healthy, but it might need some extra care when it arrives."

Taz nodded mutely while Violet squeezed her hand gently.

"Would you mind sticking around to help us out? We could do with someone to help the nurses," Price asked her, storing the scanner back behind the bed and pulling open the curtains. "You'll be fine; we don't need to start panicking until your waters break."

"_Sí, sí_," Taz nodded and climbed down off the bed, still looking very pale.

"Are you gonna be okay? Only I need to get back to the control room," Violet said, looking concerned.

"I'll be fine, you go," Taz replied.

"Okay, I'll drop by later if I can and see how you're doing," said Violet.

"Hey, don't tell Up, _sí_? He needs to concentrate on the mission," Taz said shakily and Violet nodded, hugged her and disappeared into a throng of wounded soldiers that were coming up the corridor.

"Taz! Hey, Taz!"

A voice was calling her from within the group of soldiers and as she approached she realised that Krayonder was being wheeled along by two other Rangers; blood leaking from a wound on his abdomen.

"Krayonder! What happened, you _idiota_?" she cried, forcing her way over to his bed and walking alongside him, grabbing his hand as he waved at her.

"I don't know, man! It was crazy down there! I was running behind February and I just fell. It hurts, man, it really hurts!" he cried loudly, and Taz noticed there were tears in his eyes. She squeezed his hand gently.

"It's okay, you gonna be fine! Remember on Bug's planet when you got attacked by that big-ass _escorpión_? That was worse than this, you be fine in no time!" she said reassuringly. A medic approached and spoke to the Ranger pushing the trolley before whisking Krayonder away down the corridor and into another room, leaving Taz stood alone in the corridor.

"Taz! Great! How are you doing? Can you come and give me a hand over here please?" Price beckoned her into another cubicle without waiting for an answer and she hurried over as quickly as she could. A young man lay on a gurney; he was chalk-white and groaning in pain as blood gushed from a gaping wound in his left shoulder. The cubicle reeked of blood and when she looked down she realised the poor boy had wet himself.

"I need you to hold this on the wound; that's it, press down hard! If he gets in too much pain press this button, but only once every ten minutes. I need to find some blood; he needs a transfusion. Try and keep him conscious, talk to him, and if he gets any worse send me a message straight away, okay?"

Price vanished as quickly as he'd appeared leaving Taz alone with the wounded Ranger.

"Do you… do you want anything?" she asked nervously, pressing down on his shoulder. The Ranger let out a small scream. "_Siento!_ Sorry! What's your name?"

"Myles," he gasped. "I want my mum!"

He started crying noisily, and Taz looked around desperately for someone to help. Finding no one, she patted him on the head awkwardly and grabbed a tissue off the cabinet next to her and handed it to him, before pressing the button Price had pointed out earlier to give Myles some pain relief. He stopped crying after a minute and lay still, his breathing still heavy. They sat in silence for a few minutes. Taz couldn't think of anything to say to the young Ranger (who was in no mood for starting a conversation himself), so she sat quietly, trying to ignore the dull ache in her lower stomach.

"Lieutenant!" A medic wrenched open the curtain and dashed in, looking harassed. "Lieutenant, you need to come with me."

"_Qué? Quién es?_" Taz got to her feet and dropped the dressing she had been holding on Myles' shoulder. A nurse came in as Taz left, but she no longer cared what happened to the young soldier, she was sure something dreadful had happened to Up or Bug or…

"It's Howard," Price was saying. "It's- it's not good Taz."

"Where is he?"

"He's in here." Price took her over to a private room. "But, wait! You can't go-!"

But it was too late, Taz had barged past him and into the room. The stench of blood hit her immediately and she vomited all over the floor.

Howard was lying on the bed, or what was left of him. His entire left leg was missing, as was his right leg below the knee. His left hand was gone, the rest of his arm shredded and mangled along with his chest. There wasn't an inch of him that was covered in blood and he was barely conscious.

"_Muerto Dios_," Taz whispered, walking slowly over to the bed. "What- what happened?"

"There was an explosion-" Price began to explain.

"Up?" she asked, stricken.

"No, no! It was the Penguins. They took out his entire platoon," Price said sadly. "I'm sorry you had to see this, Taz." He indicated for the nurse to cover Howard up and tried to take Taz out of the room.

"_No_! Why aren't you doing anything! Help him!" she screamed, turning to him and attempting to punch every bit of him she could reach. Price grabbed her wrists to restrain her, holding her to his chest while she screamed.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he said. "We can't do anything, I'm sorry!"

"Of course you can do something! YOU SAVED UP, NOW SAVE HIM!" she roared, breaking free and crossing over to Howard taking his remaining hand and pressing a kiss to his bloody face. "He's still alive! _Pones_ robot parts on him too!"

"We can't, Taz! When they saved Up he was the only patient and we had a full surgical team _and_ an expert in robotics! We've got over one hundred injured soldiers and no available surgical spots. I'm sorry, Taz, but it's over."

She looked as though she was about to start throwing punches again, but Howard groaned and she whipped her head back to him.

"Taz…" he whispered.

"_Hola_," she said quietly, smiling through her tears. He coughed and blood dripped from his mouth.

"Love…you…" Howard muttered, then closed his eyes and became very still.

"Howard? Howard!" Taz started shaking him. "D_espertarse!_"

She shook him harder.

"Wake up!" She was screaming again, desperately trying to make Howard respond. Price hurried over with another medic. The medic covered Howard's face and helped Price half-walk, half-carry Taz out into the corridor leaving Howard alone in the tiny hospital room.


	18. Chapter 18

A startled medic paused outside the curtains shielding Private Krayonder from the rest of the hospital as a woman's screams carried out into the corridor, along with a stream of curses in both English and Spanish. Someone shouted from the end of the corridor and the medic hurried on, leaving the yells behind in the cubicle.

Inside, a man was holding a young woman's hand as she screamed. He had gone very pale, possibly due to the fact that the woman's grip had almost broken two of his fingers, and was trying to calm her down whilst simultaneously prising her hand from around his own.

"Taz, dude, you're like, breaking my fingers," he gasped, lying back on the bed and jabbing the red "Press For Assistance" button in case someone was free to rescue him. No such luck. "Taz, let go, please!"

Taz just gripped harder and sat back in her chair, breathing heavily. "If you want to try having a baby, Krayonder, I will gladly remove your balls for you," she said in a fatigued voice, but finally let go, slumping back on the chair and closing her eyes.

"No, it's fine, break all my fingers," he winced, flexing them gingerly and cradling them to his chest. "How long does it take to have a baby, anyway? You've been in here for like, hours, man!"

"Do you want me to leave?" Taz asked quickly, flicking her head around to face him and eyeing him with an evil stare.

"No! No, of course not, you stay as long as you need!" Krayonder gabbled, raising his non-injured hand in surrender. "I just thought it'd be, like, here by now! It's been hours," he moaned, gingerly settling back onto the pillows and peering under the blankets.

"Aw, man, I started bleeding again!" he complained, pulling back the sheets to reveal a bloodstain blossoming across his hospital gown. Taz sighed and reached for the can of _SynthSkin_ that she had procured for Krayonder (by means of threat and blackmail), and ordered him to lift the gown to allow her to spray a covering onto his wound.

"You need to stop moving so much," she said, shaking the can. "There's not much left and I don't think I'll be able to get more. You need stitches," she finished, looking at the curtain and biting her lip, hoping that it was Krayonder's turn in surgery next.

"Hey," Krayonder said, noting the concerned look on her face. "I'm fine, you fixed me up! And Up and the others'll be done soon and you can go straight to stabbing me in the back."

She laughed and sniffed a little. "You're right. I'm going to call Violet, see if she know anything yet." Krayonder nodded encouragingly and lay back slowly onto his pillows as she tapped her communications device.

"_Hola, Violeta_?"

Things in the control room had calmed down somewhat since Taz had left, but the frantic urgency had merely been replaced with a glum resignation as things went from bad to worse; they were sending troops back up to the hospital as quickly as they were sending them down, patched up and pushed into battle once more. And they had lost contact with Commander Up and his team. Again.

Violet sat on the edge of the chaos. She made tea every half hour (Violet was of the strong belief that tea could solve any problem) and tidied up desks after harassed Rangers rushed off to do more important things. The clock seemed to be going so slowly. She was worried. Worried about Taz, worried about Up and his team, and worried about her own future should the Penguins break the defences and seize the Starship.

Violet jumped as her communication device buzzed in her pocket, but smiled as _Taz_ lit up on the screen. She jabbed the "answer" button and put on her best "everything-is-fine-don't-worry-about-a-thing" smile.

"_Hola_, _Violeta?_" Taz asked in a slightly unsure voice.

"Yeah! Hi, Taz! How are you!" Violet squeaked in an entirely unconvincing impression of someone who is completely at ease.

"Er, I'm fine, _gracias_… are you okay?" Taz asked concernedly.

"Yes! I'm fine! Never better!" Violet replied, pushing her glasses up her face as was her habit and going a bit pink.

"Right," Taz said dubiously. "How's things going up there?"

"Fine! Great! Excellent!" Violet squeaked, adjusting the screen to prevent Taz seeing the chaos of the rest of the room.

"Then why did someone just shout 'If we don't receive contact in ten minutes we should just surrender'?" Taz asked, one eyebrow raised. Violet looked terrified.

"I… okay, we lost contact with Up and the others," Violet whispered. "I didn't want to upset you!"

Taz paused. "They'll be fine, I know them! They should be nearly there by now, right?" she asked.

Violet smiled weakly. "They were on course when we lost contact, Specs said they'd hit a blackspot or something? Where the communications won't work. She said when they get closer to the main computer it should come back on."

"Then they'll be fine," Taz said confidently, fiddling with her bandana. "I'll call again in a while. I just wanted to know how things were."

"Chaotic," Violet admitted at last. "And you've got another ambulance docking I think." She craned her neck over to the nearest computer screen to get a better look. "Yeah, looks like a couple of ambulances," she said turning back to her communications device.

Taz shook her head. "They'll be lucky to be treated now," she said. "The medics are stretched to their limits and there's no space in surgery for hours."

Violet sighed. "I'll call you in a while, Taz."

"_Adios_," Taz said in a glum voice and ended the call.

"Can I get some coffee over here!" someone shouted from across the room. Violet sighed again and hurried over to the coffee machine. _Coffee never healed anyone_, she thought haughtily, shoving the communications device back in her pocket as she went.

Taz dropped the communications device onto the bedside table and lowered herself back onto the chair. Krayonder rolled onto his side and looked at her expectantly.

"Well?" he asked.

"Well what?" she snapped. The seriousness of her situation had finally begun to creep up on her. She'd been keeping herself busy, trying to stop her mind wandering to the dark thoughts at the back of her head, but now she couldn't stop the haunting realisation that she was about to give birth in the middle of a war with little to no medical help, an absent father (who was possibly dead), giant Penguins trying to access the ship and murder everyone on board, and Krayonder as a birthing partner.

It was this last thought that sent her over the edge. She began howling in anger and fear, causing Krayonder to jump in fright and split his wound open once more.

"Ouch! Shit! Taz, are you okay?" he gasped, reaching for the _SynthSkin_. She continued to cry, not noticing him scrabbling for the can until he shouted her name.

"Taz! Taz, I'm bleeding! Taz, I'm dying!" he screamed pathetically. She looked up then and he cracked a grin.

"I'm kidding! Oh dead God, please don't kill me! I just want the can!" he indicated pitifully. She stopped crying, rubbed her eyes dry and grabbed the can, passing it to Krayonder.

"Thanks, man," he said in a relieved voice, spraying it once more on his wound.

"Hey Taz," he whispered as he turned to pass the can back. "You might wanna, y'know, go to the bathroom. I think you might have peed yourself," he said, indicating her pants and pointedly looking back up at the ceiling.

Taz glanced down at her pants and whimpered in horror. "Krayonder, you dumb _idiota_! I haven't peed myself! My waters have broken."

She grabbed some tissue from the table and dabbed her pants, desperately trying not to cry again. "Call Price," she whimpered, sitting down and holding her stomach as though she could prevent the baby being born by holding it in.

Krayonder stared at her dumbly for a moment before jabbing the "Press For Assistance" button several more times and sending Price a text message on his communicator asking for urgent assistance. Taz screwed up her face once more and scrabbled for Krayonder's hand, but he moved slightly out of reach as she began making odd breathing noises and whimpering slightly once more.

"Krayonder?" Taz muttered when the pains had stopped and her breathing had returned to normal.

"Yeah, Taz," he said quietly, lying back and noting the bloodstain beginning to spread across his abdomen once more. The _SynthSkin_ was empty.

"If- if he doesn't come back-" she began, then stopped and shook her head. "Doesn't matter," she finished, wiping her eyes on the backs of her hands.

Krayonder smiled and held out his hand for Taz to take. "Don't worry, I'll stay with you, dude."

Taz returned the smile and squeezed his hand. Krayonder winced.

"_Mierda!_ Sorry!" Taz gabbled dropping his hand immediately. Krayonder laughed, coughed, and lay back against the pillows. "Are you okay?" Taz asked concernedly.

"Fine," he muttered. "Just sore."

"You're bleeding!" she exclaimed, getting to her feet and yanking back the sheets. "_Mierda_."

"Am I gonna die?" Krayonder whimpered, finally giving up any pretence of toughness. "Taz! I'm losing all my blood! I need that!"

"Shut up," Taz said in a tense voice, spraying the _SynthSkin_ once more. It sprayed, spluttered, fizzled, then died. "Okay, it's all gone." Krayonder started moaning pathetically, and Taz had the overwhelming urge to punch him in the face. She then remembered he was the only ally she had and that violently punching someone when she was in labour probably wasn't a good idea.

Taz looked around desperately for any kind of medication; anything to stop Krayonder dying the hospital sheets crimson. She cast her eyes upon a small, transparent tray containing what looked like a small bottle and some bandages discarded on the shelf above the bed. She pushed the chair as close to the wall as she could, and made to climb up on to it.

"Taz! What're you doing, man?" Krayonder gasped, attempting to grab the back of her shirt to stop her. "You'll kill yourself! Then we'll both be dead!"

"You're not dead, Krayonder," Taz replied exasperatedly. "I'm just trying to get that tray to see if I can fix you up!" She attempted to climb onto the chair again but stopped as a terrible scream echoed down the corridor, then stopped abruptly. She paused and turned to Krayonder, who was lying still, his eyes wide and staring.

"Krayon-"

"Shh!" he whispered, holding his stomach as he reached for his zapper. Several more screams came and were also cut off suddenly.

"Taz, you gotta get out of here," he said quickly, taking the zapper she picked up for him. "They got on board, it's them, you gotta go and hide, I'll hold them off!"

"Don't be stupid, we don't even know if it's them," she said, pulling back the curtains to peer into the corridor. It was empty.

"And where the hell am I supposed to go? I'm not up for running right now and I don't have a weapon," Taz said, returning to the chair. "And I'm not going to leave you behind to die," she added as an afterthought.

"Go in my pants," Krayonder said, trying to sit up once more. Taz stared at him.

"Now really is not the time for…_that_," Taz said, aghast. "Even if I wasn't about to give birth and you weren't bleeding to death, I wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole."

Krayonder shook his head. "There's a pocket zapper in there; I think there's still some fire power in it."

Taz picked up the discarded, bloodied clothes at the foot of the bed, and gingerly put her hand in the pocket of his pants, wrinkling her nose. She pulled out a compact zapper and checked it over. "There's about ten shots," she informed him. "If I'm lucky. It takes about six shots from one of these to take down one of those damn Penguins. And I still can't go anywhere."

She stared around the room as though a secret doorway or trapdoor might appear that they could escape through and hide. She was about to sit down once more when a body came flying through the curtains. Taz aimed the gun and was about to squeeze off a volley of shots when the body spoke.

"It's me! Don't shoot, it's me!" Price collapsed on the floor, breathing heavily and bleeding from a cut on his forehead.

"Price! What the hell is going on!" Taz gasped, crouching down beside him and examining the wound but he waved her away.

"It's nothing, just superficial." Price grabbed the weapon Taz had dropped on the floor and struggled to his feet. "We need to go, now."

Taz and Krayonder stared at him.

"Well that's a great idea," Taz said sarcastically. "Krayonder will just jump out of bed and heal himself, and I'll stop giving birth, shall I?"

Price seemed to notice Krayonder then and hurried over to the bed to examine him. Krayonder lifted his gown and Price leaned over him.

"You need stitches," Price announced after poking Krayonder several times. Price ducked under the bed and pulled out a scanner and a dangerous-looking instrument that resembled an old-fashioned Earth hole-punch.

"I don't have any pain relief left," Price said, scanning Krayonder and preparing the hole-punch. "So you're going to have to try not to scream. If you scream, the Penguins will come and kill you."

"Don't worry, I'll keep him quiet," Taz said menacingly, advancing on Krayonder. He whimpered and tried to fend her off by waving his arms, but another contraction gripped Taz's body, stopping her in her tracks.

Price hurried to her side and escorted her to the chair, sitting her down and holding her hands while she bit her lip to stop herself crying out.

"It's okay, Taz, you're doing great," Price informed her, eyeing the curtain warily. The screams had stopped, but Price knew the Penguins were still onboard the Starship. They were nowhere near safe. "How long would you say it is between each contraction? Roughly."

"I- I dunno," Taz gasped as she clutched his hands. "_Cinco minutos?_"

"Okay, that's great," he said encouragingly. "That means we still have time." He turned back to Krayonder.

"I need to do this quickly before you lose any more blood," Price said, pulling on a pair of gloves and picking up the hole-punch.

"Just fix me up, man," Krayonder said lying back and tensing his body with his eyes closed. Price leaned over the wound, holding the two sides of the skin together, put the hole punch so the skin was between the two halves and squeezed hard. There was a sound like a muffled gunshot, Krayonder yelped and swore loudly. Price repeated the process eight more times across the length of the cut until there was a neat row of staples holding the two sides of the cut together.

"It's old-fashioned, I know," Price said, dousing the wound in a strong-smelling liquid. "But it's the best I can do. This antibacterial should speed up the healing process too."

Krayonder was making muffled choking noises, possibly due to the fact that Taz had shoved a pillow on his face after he'd screamed, and was desperately trying to pull Taz's arms of his face.

"Um, Lieutenant? I'm done, you can take that off him now," Price said in a slightly concerned voice as he screwed the lid back on the antibacterial. Taz lifted the pillow off Krayonder's face and he lay back, gulping in air like a fish out of water.

"Thanks," he said finally, sitting up and poking the wound gingerly.

"No problem," Taz said, throwing the pillow back at him.

"I meant the doctor, not you," said Krayonder as he caught the pillow, putting it behind his back.

"You need to be careful, still," Price warned, checking the pocket zapper. "Now we need a plan, is this the only weapon you have?"

"I've got my zapper somewhere," Krayonder said peering over the side of the bed.

"I got a big fat nothing," Taz said shrugging hopelessly.

"You shouldn't be fighting anyway," Price said, pocketing the small zapper and handing Krayonder his zapper from beside the bed. "We need to get to the control room and inform the Colonel what the situation is down here."

"Why don't we just call them?" Taz said, pulling her communication device from her pocket.

"No signal," Price said hopelessly. "They're blocking the communications somehow."

Taz remembered what Violet had said about losing contact with Up and the others. "I think they have something that blocks the signals we use for our comms," Taz said staring down at the screen. "That's why they can't call Up and the others. But that means…" A Very Bad Thought had crossed Taz's mind. She hated Very Bad Thoughts and this was the worst one she'd had in a while.

"That doesn't matter now," Price said, snapping her back to the present. "We need to get you both out of here to safety."

"What about the other patients?" Krayonder asked. Price shook his head.

"Most of the injured soldiers in the waiting room were killed when the Penguins came on board. The soldiers in this area were all very badly injured, you're probably the only one left thanks to Taz," Price said sadly. Krayonder looked over at Taz to say thank you, but she wasn't paying attention.

"What about the others? There were hundreds of injured soldiers on board," Taz asked.

"We moved most of them to the upper levels," Price said. "They barricaded the elevators and stairwells when they heard the screaming."

"So it's just us?" Taz asked quickly, looking from Krayonder to Price.

"Just us," Price repeated with a nod.

"And us," a voice squeaked menacingly from behind them as the curtain was pulled back from around the cubicle and the Penguins raised their zappers to aim at the Ranger's faces.


	19. Chapter 19

Price stepped in front of Taz, shielding her as best as he could from the Penguin's fire.

"Don't. Please!" Price said loudly holding his hands up. "We surrender. They're injured and they need medical help, don't do this!"

The three Penguins just laughed and advanced on them, waddling across the floor with evil expressions on their faces.

"No, wait, please," Taz stood up and shoved Price out of the way. "I'm having a baby, please don't kill me." The shame of begging for her life was almost too much for Taz, but there was no way she was letting those stupid birds try to kill her or her child. Not until she was armed.

"A baby?" a short Penguin with a dopey look on its face said interestedly earning himself a slap from the Penguin next to him. "Hey! My first chick hatched last week! I was just showing some interest!"

"You're not meant to show interest!" The tallest Penguin, who appeared to be the leader, squeaked loudly. "You're meant to shoot her!" He raised his weapon once more to Taz's face, but the other Penguin put his hand on the zapper.

"Boss, he's right, you can't kill a baby."

The lead Penguin growled but lowered the weapon. "Fine. Fine! You, female!"

"_Sí_?" Taz said a little shakily. She could feel the pain begin to grip her body once more and she held onto Price's arm, trying not to cry out or show weakness.

"Do you know where the control centre of this Starship is?" The Penguin asked menacingly.

"_Sí_," she gasped, clutching her stomach and screwing her face up in pain. The Penguins seemed not to notice.

"Then you will take me there, immediately!" he squeaked, stepping back and indicating for her to leave ahead of him.

"I can't walk," Taz said to Price desperately, still waiting for the pain to pass. He nodded and spoke to the Penguins.

"She can't walk, I'm just going to get a wheelchair from under the bed, is that okay?" He held up his hands and moved slowly towards the bed. The Penguins tensed, but allowed him to pull the chair out and help Taz settle in it.

"We'll come and get you as soon as possible," he whispered in her ear and she nodded; a determined look on her face.

"You will proceed to the control centre!" The tallest Penguin commanded and Taz placed her hand on a control panel on the arm of the chair which began rolling forward and into the corridor.

"Dispose of the others," the tall Penguin squeaked. Taz stopped and began shouting at the Penguins and back to Price and Krayonder, but her captor pushed her along the corridor mercilessly. Taz heard a volley of shots, shouts from the Penguins and her friends, then silence. She gave up all attempts to move under her own steam and began crying, her hormones finally taking over. Up was gone. Her team was gone. Howard was dead. Krayonder. Price. And now she was leading a murderer to the control centre of the Starship.

The Penguin had had enough and began pushing the chair, ignoring her angry protests.

"They'll kill you," she said threateningly. "The second you walk through that door, they'll shoot you dead. And then I will make nuggets from your chicken flesh," she added folding her arms defiantly. The Penguin just laughed and pushed her out of the hospital.

"Which way?" he squeaked. Taz paused.

_Time,_ she thought. _We need time._

"Left," she said.

"Penguins on board!" A young man yelled across the room to Galaxy-Foot. Galaxy-Foot cursed but didn't take his eyes off the large screen that was showing a very scrambled picture of Commander Up and Private Bug.

"Move any closer… blackspot… remote detonate… plan!" Up was saying.

"Look, Up, we can't hear you! Specs says 'can you move where the signal is better?'! We. Can't. Hear. You!" Galaxy-Foot shouted, causing Specs to wince. The picture began to move as Up and Bug walked along a darkened tunnel, the picture getting better, then worse, as they moved.

"STOP! There! That's great! Can you hear us?" Galaxy-Foot shouted again. Specs clamped her hands over her ears.

"Loud and clear!" Up grinned. "We're nearly there, but every time we get within fifty metres of the damn thing the remote detonation goes offline; anything you can do Specs?"

Specs bit her lip and tapped at the computer in front of her. "It's not looking good, sir," she said eventually. "I need a clear signal to remote detonate."

The smile faded from Up's face slightly. "And if we detonate from inside the ship?"

"You can set a delay," Specs informed him quietly.

"Excellent-!"

"For thirty seconds."

There was silence across the control room. Up's face fell.

"How's Krayonder?" Bug asked finally.

"We, uh, we don't know," Galaxy-Foot admitted. "Penguins got on board. We've lost contact with the hospital."

Bug nodded silently and moved out of the picture. Specs sniffed quietly.

"And…and Taz?" Up asked hesitantly, concern etched on his face. Galaxy-Foot looked at Specs, who stared down at her spectrometer intently.

"She was…she was in the hospital…when they came on board," he said finally. Up nodded, and took a deep breath.

"Specs!" he barked, with only the faintest trace of emotion. "How do I set this delay?"

"HUMAN!"

"_Sí_?"

"It has been a very long time and we still aren't at your control centre!" the Penguin squeaked, stopping the wheelchair so abruptly that Taz nearly face-planted the floor.

"Watch it!" she said angrily, twisting round to face him. She then remembered she was supposed to be playing the "damsel in distress" part and forced herself to calm down. "I got lost, okay? I didn't want to tell you in case you got mad," she said in a pathetic girly voice.

"Well guess what!" the Penguin said loudly.

"_Que?_" she said, rolling her eyes and turning away from him.

"I am mad! I'm so mad, I might kill you anyway!" he squeaked loudly.

"Oh no," she said in a bored voice, picking at her nails. "Please don't kill me. Then you'll never find your way to the control room."

"Exact- wait!" the Penguin shouted as Taz began wheeling her way down the corridor. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm escaping," Taz called back matter-of-factly as she wheeled herself down the corridor.

"Oh no you aren't!" The Penguin hurried down the corridor and grabbed the handles of the wheelchair bringing it to a halt. "You will stop this nonsense and take me to your leader immediately!"

Taz deliberated. She estimated that Up and the others would need at least another ten minutes, but she felt sure that if she kept the Penguin waiting, he wouldn't hesitate to kill her. And she could feel the pain begin to grip her body once more…

"I'll take you," she said finally, settling back into the chair and breathing heavily. "It's just down here."

The Penguin pushed her down the corridor to the large door at the end. "This is it," Taz said.

"Open it," the Penguin squeaked. Taz didn't move, the pain was taking over and this time there was nothing to distract her. "I said 'OPEN IT'!"

When Taz still made no attempt to move the Penguin walked round to the front of the chair and hoisted her up, holding her underneath her arms. She cried out but the Penguin just shoved her closer to the key pad, his zapper in the small of his back. "Open it. Now."

Shaking, she jabbed the code to get past the doors and they slid open. The Penguin dragged her inside. The pain was so much that she did nothing more to protest than sob. She wanted to curl up on the floor and die.

"Listen up, humans!" Taz was dimly aware the Penguin was speaking again. She felt the barrel of the Penguin's gun pressed to the back of her head and began whimpering.

"Taz!" She heard Violet shout, but she could do nothing but hang limply in her kidnapper's arms. She felt someone tugging at her arm and looked up to see Violet fly through the air and crumple in a heap. She didn't get back up.

"Now listen!" The Penguin squeaked, shaking Taz. "Drop your weapons!" No one moved.

"Do it or I'll kill her!"

Specs' zapper fell to the floor. Another Ranger dropped her zapper. Then another. Soon all of the Rangers had dropped their zappers. Galaxy-Foot approached them and held up his hands in a gesture of surrender.

"We did what you asked. Now let her go," Galaxy-Foot said slowly, holding out his hand.

"_No_…" Taz gasped. "Don't… just shoot him!"

"You will withdraw your troops. You will surrender to us," the Penguin said menacingly. Suddenly, a large screen flickered into life and the face of Commander Up appeared. There was a muttering around the room, scared looks on the faces of the Rangers.

"It's ready," Up said, his face solemn. "I'm sending the others back. Did you…did you find out what happened to Taz?"

Taz felt her heart leap in her chest. He was alive. "Up," she said shakily. "Up I'm here."

Up's face broke into the most beautiful and heart-breaking smile Taz had ever seen. "How are you doing, Taz?"

She laughed and shrugged. "Let's see. I'm having a baby in the middle of a war, some _idiota_ bird is holding me captive and I think you might be considering blowing yourself up to save us all. I'm great."

"I'm coming back for you, Taz," Up said seriously. "I'm gonna take these dead God-damn Penguins down, then I'm coming back to you and our baby."

"I don't think so." The Penguin finally spoke. "If you make one move, she dies."

The room was silent. Taz could feel the pain coming back, but she kept fighting it.

"Up," she said as loudly as she could manage. "Up, we agreed. Do it. You have to end this."

Up hesitated, his eyes flickering from the device he held in his hand and Taz being held upright by the Penguin.

"No," he said finally. "I can't lose you."

"Up!" she screamed; the pain and the frustration she felt were at breaking point. "Do it! You blow those bastards up and then you come back and you save me. Like you said!"

The Penguin tightened his grip on her. She saw Up's face, heard him tell her he loved her. The screen went blank.

Taz heard the shouts and screams of the other Rangers. An unbearable pain. Then she fell and everything went black.

Nnnn

Shouts…laughter…a light…then nothing.

"Can she hear us?"

"I'm so sorry! It was an accident!"

"I know, she'll be fine."

"We've just received contact!"

"Where are they!"

"She's bleeding really badly!"

"Can we get some help over here!"

"She's back with us."

"She needs to go to the hospital!"

"Someone get a trolley."

"We can't move her now!"

"Can't you stop the bleeding!"

"I'm doing my best!"

Silence.

A rumble below her.

"It's done."

She opened her eyes.

Price was staring down at her. She could see Krayonder and Violet standing nervously behind him.

"How are you feeling, Taz?" Price asked kindly.

"I thought being dead would hurt less," she grumbled groggily. "And…oh…"

She looked down and saw that she was still very pregnant. So when she died…

"My baby's dead," she said, tears sliding down her face. "Where's Up? I want to see him."

"You aren't dead, Taz." Price knelt down and shone a light in her eyes.

"But you're dead! They killed you!" She tried to sit up but the pain was so intense she could do nothing but lie back and swear obscenely.

"Okay, this is it! Everybody clear out," Price said loudly. Taz could see people hurrying out of the door. She then realised she was lying on the floor of the control room.

"And to answer you; no, I'm not dead and nor is Krayonder. He saved our lives with that zapper he'd hidden under his bedclothes, he's a real hero."

Krayonder looked sheepish and smiled. Taz beckoned him over.

"You said you'd stay with me," she whispered. Krayonder looked uncertain before he nodded. "Yeah, I'll stay with you. But no knives!"

She laughed, then gripped his hand tightly as another contraction hit her.

"Taz, at the next contraction I need you to push down hard okay?" Price said.

"_Que?_ _No!_ I'm not giving birth in the control room _idiota_!" she screamed. "Take me to _the hospital_."

"We can't move you now! Just do what I say and you can kill me later! Now push!" Price shouted. Taz looked like she was about to argue, but Krayonder squeezed her hand. She gritted her teeth and started to push.


	20. Chapter 20

The pale, orange sun was coming up over the alien landscape, a stream of light pouring into the window of the hospital room Taz was now occupying. She was staring out at the smoking ruins of Stroummhold as the Starship Rangers took over, arresting Penguins and searching the smoking ruins for…

"You should be in bed." Price stepped into the room, followed by a nurse who wheeled a cot in front of her.

"Everything is fine," Price said watching Taz's eyes dart to the cot. "She's fine." Taz gulped and nodded, stepping towards the cot where her daughter lay, sound asleep. Taz burst into tears and Price quickly put his arms around her shoulders and guided her back into bed, before picking the baby up out of the cot and placing her in Taz's arms. The baby opened her tiny eyes, eyes that were the exact same shade as Up's, and stared up at her mother who looked down at her. One of the baby's arms came free and Taz caught the tiny hand flailing around. She looked up at Price.

"Have they found Up yet?" she asked quietly, tears still streaming down her face.

"No," he admitted. "Nor Mega-girl. She stayed with him when he sent the others back. The only way to decommission a Mega-girl unit is to lower it slowly into boiling lava, but there's nothing to say standing next to an explosion wouldn't do the same trick in all honesty."

Taz nodded, staring back down at her baby. Howard…Up…Mega-girl… she couldn't believe it had only been twelve hours since she'd last seen them. Price told the nurse to leave the room then came and sat on the end of her bed and held her free hand.

"It's going to be okay," he said, squeezing her hand. "How do you feel?"

Taz didn't reply. She took her hand away from Price and held her daughter closely, breathing deeply and closing her eyes.

There was a knock at the door. Price hugged her awkwardly and answered it. Violet stood there looking worried, pushing her glasses up her nose. Price held the door open for her to walk into the room and he left, closing the door behind him.

Violet stepped forwards, she looked distressed.

"_Hola_," Taz said with a small smile. "How are you doing?"

"Me?" Violet squeaked, walking around to the side of the bed. "What about you! I- _I shot you!_" she said in a strangled whisper. Taz shook her head.

"You saved my life! You saved everyone in that room! If you hadn't hit me he wouldn't have dropped me and Galaxy-Foot wouldn't have been able to take him out!" Taz said, grabbing Violet's hand.

"I was aiming for him," Violet said miserably. "And if he hadn't dropped you, you wouldn't have hit your head!"

"_Dejo_," Taz said sternly. "I owe you my life. And her life," she said, indicating the now-sleeping baby. Violet made an almost inaudible squeak and bent down to stroke the baby's cheek.

"She's beautiful, Taz," Violet said. "She looks just like-" she broke off and looked horrified. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean-"

"It's fine," Taz said. She took a deep breath and smiled. "They'll find him. Do you want to hold her?" She held the baby out to Violet who took her carefully and held her.

"Have you thought of a name yet?" she asked, holding the baby's tiny had with a finger and thumb.

"Karri," Taz said. "She taught me English when I first came to the Academy. Do you like it?"

Violet nodded. "Yeahs, it suits her."

Violet burst into noisy tears, which in turn made Taz also cry, which woke up baby Karri. Violet apologised several times and held Karri out to Taz who took her and rocked her until she fell back to sleep.

"I'm going… I'm going to find out if they've found him yet," Violet said. Taz nodded and Violet kissed her on the forehead before leaving the room, wiping her eyes on her sleeve as she went.

Another knock at the door woke Taz and she jerked upright. Karri was asleep in the cot where Taz had put her and the room was filled with a bright afternoon sunlight.

"Come in," Taz called. The door opened and Krayonder, Specs, Bug and February walked into the room. Bug and February looked a little worse-for-wear, but they gave Taz encouraging smiles. Krayonder immediately crossed the room and hugged Taz while the others looked slightly confused. February spotted the sleeping baby and squealed quietly, tiptoeing over to the cot and clasping her hands together in delight.

"Can I pick her up?" February asked over her shoulder to Taz.

"Sure," she replied, leaning over to grab the glass of water that someone had put on the table next to her bed. Specs also went over to investigate the baby and grinned when Karri opened her eyes and stared at her from February's arms.

Taz felt herself welling up again as she watched her friends take it in turns to hold her daughter. February thrust the baby at Bug and gathered Taz in her arms when she saw tears begin to slide down Taz's face. The others stood back and watched as February rocked Taz and whispered that everything was going to be okay.

Eventually Taz stopped crying and whispered, "_Io siento, Io siento_." She accepted the tissues Specs handed her gratefully and wiped her face before turning to Bug and February. "What happened?"

Bug looked nervously at February, then put Karri back in her cot before taking a deep breath and launching into the events that had happened on Stroummhold.

After Krayonder had been injured they had entered the Penguin fortress and proceeded through the maintenance tunnels to the IT centre. It turned out Taz's "Very Bad Thought" had been right and they discovered that as they drew nearer to the computers they were finding it harder and harder to get any kind of signal back to the Starship, and when they were within fifty metres of the main computer they lost all signal together. Up and Mega-girl managed to re-programme the detonator to work manually and Up had ordered them all back to the Starship after he had spoken to Taz. Mega-girl had refused to leave and told him she wanted to accompany him in case there were any problems. Bug and February had all but dragged Tootsie back (this explained Bug's blackening eye and the scratches on February's face) and just made it out of Stroummhold before it exploded.

Taz sat still for a while after they finished, picking at the sheets covering her before she nodded. Karri started whimpering so Specs picked her up and gave her to Taz. February promptly burst into tears and ran out of the room, shortly followed by Bug.

"Are you okay, Lieutenant?" Specs asked.

"_Sí_," Taz replied shortly before asking, "Where is Tootsie?"

Krayonder shrugged and turned to Specs who said, "He locked himself in his room when they got back, I believe."

Karri started screaming, so Specs and Krayonder said goodbye and left Taz to feed the baby and sleep again. Taz settled Karri down, but didn't sleep herself. Instead she stared out of the window, looked up at the sky and imagined flying amongst the stars, just her and Up and their baby…

BANG!

The door flew open and Krayonder flew into the room looking frantic. Bug, Violet, February and Specs followed shortly and stood by the door looking distraught, before Price stormed into the room and ordered them all out. Taz gaped at them, then picked up her once-again screaming daughter who didn't take kindly to being woken up by loud adults.

"What the hell is going on!" Taz demanded as her friends stood silently, now looking uncomfortable.

"You gotta tell her!" Krayonder burst out at Price eventually.

"I agree, but I hardly think barging into her room with a newborn baby and screaming it is hardly the way to do it!" Price retorted sharply. "I am her doctor and I will decide what is best for her!"

"WHAT IS GOING ON?" Taz bellowed, rocking Karri rather more vigorously than was necessary.

"Look, Taz, just sit down-" Price began, holding his arms out to take the baby, but Taz clutched her tighter.

"What. Is. Going. On?"

Price glanced nervously at the group of Rangers before taking a deep breath. "It's Up. They found him."


	21. Chapter 21

Taz was vaguely aware of someone taking Karri from her arms. There was someone else guiding her into a chair. People talking, trying to get her to communicate but Taz wanted this moment to herself. The moment before she had to ask any questions.

"Taz?" It was Krayonder. He was leaning over her, her shoulders in his hands. "Taz, I'm going to slap you because you're scaring everyone, okay?"

"If you touch me, I will punch you so hard that your wound will open and your guts will fall out onto this nice, clean floor," Taz replied calmly. Krayonder made a sound like someone stepping on a mouse and ran to hide behind Specs.

"You found him?" Taz said to Price.

"Yes."

"Is he dead?" Taz asked bluntly.

Price deliberated before saying, "He's still alive."

"Still? Okay, so he's going to die," Taz nodded, then held her arms out to February who was cradling Karri. "I'd like you to take me to see him, _por favor_."

Taz wasn't sure how she was being so calm. There was a box in the back of her head that was trying to open, the box labelled "Qo'nos", and she was not about to lift the lid on those feelings any time soon.

"I don't think that's a good idea-" Price began, but stopped when Taz passed Karri to Krayonder and yanked a knife from his belt, slicing through the sheath as she did.

"I am being very calm," Taz said in a loud voice. "However, I _will_ start throwing knives if you don't take me and my daughter to Up. Right now."

Price looked helplessly at the others. Krayonder (who was holding the baby as though she might explode any second) gestured helplessly and Price sighed.

"Fine! You can see him," Price said, throwing his arms up. "But they're taking him to surgery in ten minutes so you need to be quick."

Taz retrieved Karri from the precarious grasp of Krayonder and agreed to sit in a wheelchair to visit Up, so long as no one pushed her. Karri was settled into her crib once more and was wheeled out of the room in front of Taz by Violet.

They made an odd group, filing through the corridors past the hundreds of injured Rangers. Some of them stopped the group to fuss Karri or congratulate Taz, but most of them let them pass without a word. Price lead them to a quieter end of the hospital and stopped outside a cubicle, the curtain pulled round, shielding the occupant from view. He helped Taz out of the chair and Violet assured Taz that Karri would be fine with her and February while she saw Up.

"Are you okay?" Price asked as Taz got to her feet shakily. She nodded and braced herself before stepping into the cubicle and staring at the bed.

He was still Up. Barely. The synthetic skin that covered his robotic half was gone leaving the complex network of robotics that made up his right side exposed. Almost all of his remaining human side was burned. The smell of singed hair and flesh invaded Taz's nostrils and she gagged slightly. Price put his hand on her shoulder to guide her out of the cubicle, but she shook him off and approached the bed.

"Up?" she said quietly as she stood next to the bed. "Can you hear me?"

He was unconscious, or asleep, Taz couldn't tell. She reached out to take his left hand, but stopped when she saw the bright pink skin peeling away from his fingers. His face had escaped much of the damage that the rest of his body suffered, but his skin was still blistered badly.

"They're sending a robotics team down and the surgeons will fix his burns as best they can," Price said quietly.

"Can we have some time alone? Please?" she asked. He hesitated, then nodded. "I'll be right outside. You've got about five minutes."

He exited the cubicle and Taz leant closer to Up. He had a mask on that was linked to a respirator and an IV drip in his arm that made Taz more uncomfortable than the burns; Taz hated needles.

"I… You look awful," she said finally, then laughed at the stupidity of her comment. "We've got a daughter, Up. And she's…_beautiful_. She looks just like you and I wanted you to see her before…" Taz trailed off and gulped back the emotions she felt brimming to the surface.

He opened his eyes.

"Up?" she whispered, not daring to move in case he shut them again. "Up, can you hear me?"

His fingers moved against the bed and she cried, "Price! _Help!_ Someone!"

Price burst into the cubicle followed by Krayonder and Bug. He swiftly stepped over to Up and shone a light in his eyes. Up moaned a little and Price turned the light off immediately.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," Price apologised. "You're okay, Up, we're taking care of you." He stepped aside and gestured for Taz to approach Up once more, but she held up her hand and walked out of the cubicle.

February and Violet were stood across the corridor, cooing into the crib that contained Karri. Specs was watching them in amusement and gave Taz a small smile when she approached them. Taz picked up her baby without a word and walked back into the cubicle, telling the doctor and Rangers to leave.

Up was staring at the ceiling, eyes blinking slowly. He turned his head a fraction as Taz came to stand beside his bed and made the tiniest noise as he set eyes on his baby for the first time. A tear trickled down his cheek and he tried to lift his arm, crying harder in frustration as his muscles refused to cooperate.

"Hey, don't cry, Up," Taz said as she adjusted Karri in her arms. "Here."

She held the tiny baby next to Up's face and he turned as much as he could to take in every aspect of his daughter that he could. He made another noise of annoyance and Taz frowned at him.

"What's wrong?" Up wrinkled his nose, causing the mask that covered his mouth to move a little. "You want me to take that off?" Taz asked dubiously. He wrinkled his nose again in a gesture she took as a "yes" so she put Karri onto one arm and carefully lifted the mask with her free hand.

He took a deep, rattling breath that set Taz's heart racing, but he managed a tiny smile that she returned. Karri made a whimpering noise and Taz shushed her, before lying her on the bed next to Up. Her tiny arms waved around and caught Up's face, but he didn't wince, instead he turned his head and pressed a kiss to her little cheek. Tears began to trickle down Taz's face and Up tried to move his hand once more. She shook her head and leant down, pressing the gentlest kiss she could to his lips.

"I love you," she whispered, just as Price poked his head around the curtain.

"They want to take him to theatre now," he said gently. Taz nodded and scooped up Karri before replacing his mask and saying goodbye with another kiss. Price ushered her out and into the wheelchair where Krayonder took over and pushed her back to her hospital room.


	22. Chapter 22

This is the final instalment of this story. I began this fic in May of last year, and over the last twelve months I have been blown away with all the support, praise, and love I have received as it was written.

I want to say a really big thank you to everyone who has read this fic, to anyone who has reviewed it – I read and treasure them all! – and to all of the friends I have made because of it.

I hope you have enjoyed reading The One Where Taz Gets Pregnant as much as I enjoyed writing it. All my love, Cara.

* * *

><p>Taz flopped onto the bed and gazed around her new room. It wasn't significantly bigger than her old room, but it had enough room for the new crib and the other piles of baby equipment that had appeared that morning. It turned out that as people had heard about Taz and the baby and Up, they had come together to provide Taz with everything she could ever need – and a lot of things she didn't know how to use – to take care of Karri.<p>

She sat up and glanced in the crib. Karri was fast asleep, her tiny fist opened and closed as she slept, and Taz smiled softly, tiptoeing over and stroking her daughter's cheek with a finger. She pulled her communication device from her pocket and frowned as it informed her she had no new messages. Price had told her he would send her a message as soon as Up was out of surgery, and Krayonder had promised to come and help her sort out her new room, but she had had no word from either of them since she had left the hospital that morning.

She dropped the communications device onto the bed and pulled one of the many boxes that filled the room towards her. Expecting another box stuffed with baby clothes or diapers she was pleasantly surprised to find it was filled with the contents of her bookshelf. She pulled out a book and turned it over in her hands. _Pedro Páramo_ had been one of the books she had managed to salvage from her father's bookshelf. It was a little burnt, but the script was still legible. She opened the cover and gazed down at the neat handwriting of her father. He had the habit of writing his name in all of his books, something Taz had always hated – books were not for writing on – but she was glad for it this time. It was something that proved he had lived.

Taz snapped the book shut and grabbed a couple more out of the box, then put them on the bookshelf next to her bed. She continued doing this until the box, and the two that followed, were empty and had begun stacking boxes of diapers across from Karri's crib when there was a knock at the door. Karri woke up and started crying. Taz scowled and hurried over to her, scooping her up before answering the door, ready to berate Krayonder for waking the baby.

It wasn't Krayonder.

Up stood at her door, leaning heavily on a metal walking stick with a nervous look on his scarred face. "Hello, Taz."

She felt her knees buckle as Up stepped forwards and grabbed her around the waist, plucking the tiny baby from her arms and holding her out of harm's way. He pulled Taz up and held her tightly around the waist, looking concerned as she gaped up at him.

"You…you're…" she began, her eyes bulging and her mouth hanging open.

"Taz," Up said carefully, releasing her and taking a step back. "You, uh, you're looking a bit like a, uh, fish…right…now…"

He trailed off as her features darkened and she cracked her knuckles threateningly. Up's eyes darted around the room for an escape as he held Karri with one hand to his chest, and held his other out in front of him, pre-empting an attack. "Easy, Taz! Let's calm down!"

Taz switched her gaze from his face to Karri squirming against Up's chest and unclenched her fists. Up stared fondly down at his daughter, who promptly started screaming.

"Oh, okay… Um… Shh!" Up jiggled the baby up and down. Taz almost laughed at the terrified expression on his face, but decided to intervene when Karri's screams reached an ear-splitting level. She removed the baby from his arms and sat down with her, on the bed.

"I think she's hungry," Taz informed Up, who nodded and looked at her expectantly. Taz didn't move, and to Up's surprise went a bit pink.

"I, uh," Taz made an awkward gesture with the baby and her chest. Up turned scarlet and started to back away, tripped over one of the boxes Taz had been sorting out and ended up on his backside.

"Mierda!" Taz cried, then remembered she was holding Karri. "I mean… fu- no! Up! Are you okay?"

Up sat up gingerly and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm fine, fine! It just… Hurts…" He clambered to his feet using the metal stick for support and brushed himself down. Taz bit her lip, desperately trying not to laugh.

"I'll just… I'll just leave and come back later when…" he trailed off as Taz interrupted.

"Turn your back," she ordered. Up hobbled around obediently, watching out for other stray boxes as he did, and stared at the door intently.

"No funny business!" Taz called threateningly.

"It's not like I haven't seen-"

"What was that?" Taz asked in a deadly voice.

"Nothing, Taz," Up replied with a gulp. "Just staring at this wall."

"That's what I thought you said."

He stood silently as Taz shuffled behind him and Karri finally stopped crying. There were a few moments of quiet, then Taz spoke.

"How are you?" she asked quietly. "Are you all… Fixed?"

Up smiled to himself. "I'm okay. All 'fixed'."

"Good. I'm glad. I was worried," she said quickly.

"I was worried about you too, Taz," Up smiled to himself. "And our baby."

"Karri," Taz corrected him. Up nodded, a huge grin now stretched across his face.

"Karri. I like it," he said. "After your teacher?"

"Sí," Taz laughed. "Without her I'd never have been able to speak to you."

"I'm very grateful," Up replied. "As I remember, she's also the person who explained to you that no, we weren't kidnapping you and yes, you can put the table leg down now."

They both laughed, remembering that night. The night they met.

"You've changed so much," Up said quietly.

"Once I can get back in the gym, I'll be the same again," she said confidently. "You better watch your back. I haven't got you back for getting me pregnant yet," she warned.

"No, I mean, you're… Wonderful, Taz. You're the best partner I could have hoped for." He span around and she shrieked in horror and tried to cover herself up, but he ignored her.

"I love you, Taz," he said earnestly. "I love you and I love our baby and I am so, so glad I went back to your house that night."

Taz stared up at him. Then mumbled, "Sí, me too."

Up beamed and turned back to face the door so Taz could readjust herself and put Karri in the crib. She stood still for a moment, then silently walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him gently.

"I love you too," she whispered. He turned to face her and beamed down at her before bending down and kissing her gently.

"Taz," he said quietly as they stood. "I… I lied. They didn't fix all of me."

"What do you mean?" she asked fretfully. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"They couldn't… They couldn't fix my balls, Taz."

Taz stared at him. And stared. Up had just enough time to dive onto the bed before Taz let out a guttural scream and launched herself at him.

"Taz! Those are my wounds!" Up moaned pathetically as she beat his chest with her fists.

"Oh, _sí_," she said and stopped punching him. "Don't do that!" she said crossly.

"Sorry, Taz," he said rubbing his chest with a wry smile, then gathered her close.

"_Te amo_, Taz," Up said quietly. Taz let out an unexpected giggle and snuggled closer.

"_Te amo_, Up."


End file.
